Requietum: A Journey Home
by jin long
Summary: A ninja and a baker's daughter are headed home. However, it is not going to be easy nor usual, not with demons existing and love blooming... STORY IS COMPLETE
1. Requietum Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all belong to NAMCO.   
Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
jin_long@lycos.com  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The blonde girl would not stop screaming.  
  
Taki cursed as she tried to hold the screaming foreign girl down while attempting  
to remove the shards that were causing the girl's pain. How this young woman   
could even stand the agony Taki did not know, but the ninja was not one to leave  
a human being in such pain.  
  
The ninja recalled how everything had come to this. It had all begun when Rekki-maru   
started to strangely resonate to what she now knew as the evil swords Soul   
Edge. And it was not only her beloved blade, but a ninja-to she'd been entrusted   
with as well.  
  
Mekki-maru. The name echoed and the image of the sword flashed through her mind.  
"Never let Toki have it...... I beg you Taki! Never let Toki have this blade!" The memory   
of Hachibei's words was as good as burned into her consciousness. And Hachibei...   
Hachibei was right. Mekki-maru certainly had a dark nature to itself. Mekki-maru   
resonated with the shard of the evil blade Soul Edge that she intended to return home   
with.   
  
A hard-won prize, that piece of the evil sword was, but Taki could not lose the sense  
of unease she had about its seeming want to be joined with Mekki-maru.   
  
Another scream of pain erupted from the wounded young woman before her, breaking  
Taki out of her reverie. Yet one more shard joined its ilk on the green forest ground,   
sealed in a piece of paper blessed by the magic the ninja wielded.  
  
She would not have thought that this girl before her could shatter a sword as strong  
as one of Soul Edge nor even hope to stand against such a bloodthirsty foe as the   
pirate who wielded the evil blades. The girl's body, though toned, betrayed a   
lack of proper combat training, the muscles not as developed as they should have been  
in Taki's opinion.  
  
Taki had seen many girls of this sort, the kind of girls that would plant rice in the vast   
fields of Japan. Such girls' bodies were not primed to handle the weight of blades and   
lacked every mark of training such as calluses on the knuckles or developed wrist muscles.   
Such girls could not hope to stand against even the most ordinary of brigands.  
  
And yet this young woman had endured long enough to battle the pirate. Taki wondered  
endlessly about that single fact. This girl had given her the opportunity to strike the   
pirate dead and the chance to collect a shard of Soul Edge. How was it indeed possible?  
  
These wounds were of the girl's battle with the pirate, Taki knew, and they betrayed traces   
of Soul Edge's serpentine nature. It was why she sealed each piece she removed, lest this  
dark essence poison her mind as it had obviously done to this young foreigner.  
  
Taki sighed as she extracted the last of the shards from the blonde's prone body, sealing it  
then tossing it onto the nearby pile of its ilk. She hoped that this would at least end whatever   
torture the girl had been enduring as she began to stitch the last wound up.  
  
Exhausted, Taki collapsed on her her knees, breathing softly. Taking out the pieces and   
sealing them, not to mention trying to heal and stitch up this young foreigner, had taken  
its toll on the ninja's body.   
  
I need sleep, Taki thought. I need a lot of sleep.....  
  
After all, this foreign girl had to be brought back to whatever alien country it was that she  
belonged to. Which one it was out of these godforsaken lands Taki did not know, but rest  
assured she would find out.  
  
A girl such as this foreigner should not be chasing notorious pirates or incredibly serpentine  
swords, Taki thought. Hell, if she had not arrived at the port just in time, this young   
foreigner would be dead.  
  
This young woman belonged at home, wherever that was.  
  
Then after that, Taki thought, it would be days on the Silk Road for herself, heading back to   
Japan via the land. It meant crossing a vast desert, then crossing the vast land of China, and   
probably even the peninsula of Korea.  
  
And still she had to hide in her homeland, had to evade Toki and the rest of the the Fuuma ninja.  
Toki was searching for Mekki-maru, a Toki unlike the one she'd known from her childhood. Her  
stepfather was now only too insane, she knew, so consumed with want for the power Mekki-maru  
seemed to promise.  
  
It was an eternity of things to be accomplished, Taki thought.  
  
But it could wait until morning. It could all wait until morning.  
  
Taki groggily made her way to a bedroll beside her patient, eagerly slipping under the   
blanket and rolling onto her side. She heard the tempo of the young foreigner's breathing  
increase slightly in speed, and she turned over, curious. Was the poison of the shards  
still harassing the blonde girl's mind?  
  
No. It didn't seem to as the foreigner's breathing again became a relaxed, regular breath.  
Taki sighed, only too relieved. She felt as if she didn't have any more energy to quell the   
girl's nightmare-induced fits.  
  
The ninja's eyelids began to droop as she turned away and began to fall asleep. That girl  
puzzles me, Taki thought. Really, how could she do what she did?  
  
Perhaps she is sent by the gods, Taki's intution said.  
  
Really now, she thought. Sent by the gods? Now that was ridiculous.  
  
Still, it could all wait till morning. Taki fell into a well-deserved sleep.  
  
to be continued..... 


	2. Requietum Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all belong to NAMCO.   
Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
jin_long@lycos.com  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"Hephaestus! Why do you forsake me?!"  
  
The gods were capricious, she knew. Their support and their kindess could easily  
turn into abandonment and wrath. Athena was kind to Odysseus, yet had led a  
girl to commit suicide. Poseidon had given the horse to humanity, but had led yet  
another maiden to turn into a monster.  
  
Was Hephaestus no different? Would he too lead another maiden to an unkind fate?  
Would he lead her to such an end, a baker's daughter who did only his will?  
  
Sophitia remembered the battle at the harbor, remembered how fear had her in its   
grasp. She had almost lost her faith then, but no, she told herself to believe. For  
she was sent by the gods, this was their will, and they would stand beside her as   
she worked their miracle upon the earth.  
  
She felt so small, looking at the Spaniard before her, seeing the bloodlust in his eyes.  
She had not killed before; no, how could a baker's child ever have known the darkness  
of combat? Or know how it was to take a life?  
  
She could not kill him. Shattering one of the pirate's evil blades was all she could do,   
and that was not enough.  
  
Sophitia remembered the pain of the shards entering her body, the agony that seemed   
to burn her as they buried themselves deep. She felt their venom course through her body  
and she fell to her knees.  
  
The pirate loomed above her, and his smile was evil, chilling her to her very bone. In his  
hand he held the partner of the blade she had shattered, and it seemed to lust for her   
blood in revenge for its lost companion.  
  
She was to die. She would die not having finished off the evil blades. Where were the gods  
now? Where was Hephaestus? She desperately needed their strength to even move with  
all the pain she was feeling. Where were they?  
  
Hephaestus, was it not your will? Sophitia could feel the darkness taking her.  
  
The gods of Achilles, of Agamemnon, of Odysseus.... the gods that gave them the power   
to defeat the Trojans.... where were they now? This evil would spread to the world, would   
engulf even Greece. She was the only one that could stop its advance, and now she was  
about to die. Would they not help her to end the blades' evil?  
  
The pirate swung the blade down at her, and somehow time seemed to slow. She thought   
of her family, knowing she would not see them again.   
  
A baker's daughter was, in truth, no warrior......  
  
"Hephaestus! Why do you forsake me?!"  
  
Her vision began to blur as the pain took her. It was to end soon. She was to have failed.  
  
She wasn't sure of what happened next. She felt the air in front of her become agitated, as   
if something or someone had moved in front of her. She heard the clang of steel against   
steel, and she forced herself to look up, to see the one who had taken her from death.  
  
The sunlight seemed to shine upon this mysterious warrior, and to her eyes it seemed like a  
godly glow, a welcome warmth. It was then she heard Hephaestus' voice, a soft comfort in the  
back of her mind.  
  
"I forsake you not, oh maiden of mine."  
  
Sophitia felt like crying, felt like rejoicing. So she had not been left after all! So the world had  
not been left to die, and the evil of the blades had no free reign. So if she died, the world  
would not come to an end.  
  
"Behold, to you I send one of my own."  
  
Sophitia collapsed on the ground, the wounds taking their toll. At least if she should not live, the  
world had another savior. And now, she could die in peace.  
  
Her eyes closed to the sound of the pirate's agonized scream as the servant of her god slew   
him.....  
  
Sunlight met her blue eyes as she awoke from the dream, though she thought that she had died   
and was in Elysium. Sophitia blinked, raising an arm to shield her eyes from the light. It was then  
that she saw that her wounds had been treated. But moving still made them ache, a sign that she   
was nowhere near Paradise.  
  
"I see you have awoken," a voice said.   
  
to be continued...... 


	3. Requietum Chapter 3

disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all belong to NAMCO.   
Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
jin_long@lycos.com  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The foreign girl blinked, eyes evidently adjusting to the light. "Who?" Taki heard the blonde  
young woman say, noticing her. "Where?" the young woman added.  
  
Still like a young girl, Taki thought as she watched the foreigner. Still unlike a warrior, who  
would be more cautious in the presence of a stranger, like Taki was right now. "I would ask  
you the same thing, you know," Taki said. "Who are you?"   
  
The girl blinked again before replying. "Sophitia. Sophitia Alexandra. And you?"  
  
"Taki of the Fuuma ninja."  
  
"Oh." The girl squinted, obviously trying to orient herself. "That's a strange name."  
  
Of course it would be, Taki thought. It was a name that not many outside of Japan bore. But  
'Sophitia' would be strange as well to a native of Japan, and it was such right now to her.  
"Well, so is yours," Taki said, for some reason smiling.   
  
Sophitia chuckled, and Taki knew that the young girl had thought the same thing. "Well,"   
Taki began, "nice to see you're awake. You were drifting in and out of sleep for at least  
three days." Sophitia seemed surprised. "Three days?!" she exclaimed. "Unbelievable."  
  
She began to take in her surroundings, peering around at the forest."What am I doing   
here?"Sophitia asked. "Last thing I remember, I was at this port and there was this   
pirate and....." Her voice trailed off, and she fell silent for a moment. Then she looked   
at her arm, and at one of her stitched wounds. "The sword... Soul Edge...." she   
whispered quietly, yet Taki heard.  
  
"Yes. It wounded you," Taki replied. Wounded you severely, almost fatally, Taki   
thought. And it poisoned your mind for some nights... that dark sword...  
  
"What is... what was your part in all of this?" Sophitia asked, eyeing Taki curiously.   
  
"I was pursuing Soul Edge. I needed it to help repair my Rekki-maru," Taki answered.   
"When I got to the port... I found you there, fighting that pirate. You shattered one of   
the swords, but the shards struck you and you were going to die. I... well, I think you   
can tell what happened next."  
  
Of course, that was only one way of telling the story, Taki knew. It was always what   
she would say if asked about her pursuit of Soul Edge, like when a young man in Korea   
had asked her once. She didn't think it was necessary to tell this young foreigner about   
her....problems back in Japan, the difficulties with regard to her clan and another evil   
sword she carried. No, it would serve no purpose, and hence there was no point.  
  
Above all, she wanted to deal with her problems on her own. It was out of some pride,   
maybe, the same pride that made her go solo against Gel-o-Fury. Yes, it was just pride.   
She should just keep telling herself that.  
  
"I see..." Sophitia turned away with some trace of disgust. "You're just like the foreign   
man who came to that port before I. You just wanted Soul Edge for yourself, and you  
desired its power." She shook her head. "Such a thing should not be in the hands of   
mortals such as ourselves. Hephaestus was right....It's too much of a temptation...."  
  
Taki almost slapped the girl, but restrained herself. A power-hungry ninja? She?! It   
must have sounded that way, given the excuse she'd answered with, but still! If anything,   
she had come this far because Mekki-maru had been resonating evilly with Soul Edge.   
She was at the port because her stepfather was being driven mad. She'd been after the   
demonic sword, but not entirely for the reasons this girl thought!  
  
"And what part does a girl like you play in all this?" Taki retorted, almost stinging in tone,   
and cursing herself for the rise in temper she always had under control. A girl like you,   
with no training. A girl like you who surely has no problems such as that which I have!   
"You're pretty quick to act all noble and self-righteous. I would ask you the same thing,   
Sophitia. What did one such as you hope to accomplish in that port? Why were you seeking  
Soul Edge, I'd like to know?"  
  
"I...." Sophitia hesitated, appearing unsure of what to say. She looked away. "I... went   
there to destroy Soul Edge. I was... The gods.... I was ordered, commanded by the gods   
to go there and destroy that evil sword. But, well, I suppose you know what happened...."  
  
Indeed I do, Taki thought. "The gods.... sent you?" Taki raised an eyebrow. The girl had  
the spirit to fight, true, but was lacking a certaint intent that was essential, the ninja thought.   
"Why would the gods send you just like that?" Taki scratched her head. "I mean, from what   
I see right now and what I saw at the port, you haven't had much training for..." her voice  
trailed off. For killing.  
  
The pirate had been open. His guard was down, Taki recalled. It was clear enough. One stab,   
one slash with the sword, and this Sophitia could have killed him. This young foreigner wouldn't   
have had to endure those wounds or Soul Edge's poison only if she had slain the pirate instead   
of merely shattering the sword....What were this girl's gods thinking?  
  
"Yes, I know that. Sometimes I wonder why I was chosen." Sophitia closed her eyes, breathing   
softly. "They are supposed to work in mysterious ways, but this... that was too much," she said.   
Opening her eyes, she again looked at Taki, green eyes shining with curiosity. "If it weren't for   
you... I...." she began, trailing off.  
  
"I'm sorry. Maybe I was a little quick to judge your motives for being in the port." Sophitia   
smiled. "I mean, someone who would stop to save another person can't be all.... well, you   
know what I mean...." she continued. "We kind of got off on the wrong foot, and ah, I   
haven't exactly been a grateful patient, have I?"  
  
Taki smiled, the slight twinge of anger dissipating from her senses. Sophitia had been   
unprepared for all she'd been through, after all. "Apology accepted. Now then," she said,   
rising to her feet and breathing in deeply. She felt really hungry, and who wouldn't after three   
straight days of small, brief meals. Sophitia must've been starving as well. It made quite the   
utmost sense to Taki to say "How about we get ourselves some breakfast?"  
  
to be continued...... 


	4. Requietum Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all belong to NAMCO.   
Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
jin_long@lycos.com  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"They use stone for building structures in Greece? How curious! In what way   
would they go about it?"  
  
Sophitia smiled. She'd been telling Taki all about Greece while they travelled,   
and Taki had been mighty interested. This ninja--that was the term, right?--  
definitely had a childlike curiosity in her, which was probably why Taki could  
speak in Greek, albeit with a slight accent.  
  
If Taki was this open to acquiring information and had travelled as long a time as   
she said she did, Sophitia mused, it would only have been a matter of time before   
the Japanese woman learned to speak Greek. The fact that Greeks were most   
likely all over the lands from the Mediterranean to the Silk Road due to the   
Roman empire made it even more likely.  
  
Sophitia found it odd, however, that one who could be as a child had the strength   
to kill.  
  
"I wouldn't know," Sophitia answered, tossing her long, blonde braid over her   
shoulder. "The buildings I'm talking about were built long before I was born."   
She tapped her chin with a finger. "But it makes me wonder; why do they build   
everything out of wood in Japan? Wouldn't it be so dangerous if a fire were to   
break out in a town?"  
  
Taki smiled; at least Sophitia thought so, unable to see under the ninja's mask.   
"Well, things get built quicker with wood; easy to transport, quick as anything to   
be carved, and child's play to balance and assemble." Taki turned to her. "But   
we Japanese have really tamed fire, especially for forging metal. You don't get   
blades like mine in your homeland, I'm sure."  
  
"Oh, we know a lot more about smithing than you think!" Sophitia chuckled, slapping   
a hand on her shield for emphasis. "We've been in enough wars to know how to make   
good blades, and we have a god of blacksmiths even!"  
  
"Really...?" Taki's eyes betrayed that she was enjoying this friendly argument, Sophitia  
noticed. "You mean that He-fei- what's the name again?" Taki continued.  
  
"Hepahestus?" Sophitia said.   
  
"That's it. But anyway, Greek steel is still no match for Japanese steel! We are constantly   
finding new ways of smithing blades - heck, we Japanese have to!" Taki exclaimed.  
  
"Why do you have to do so? The only real motivation for such a thing would be...." Sophitia   
paused. No, Japan sounded like a lovely, peaceful place. At least that was how Taki had   
described it. But if they were constantly trying to innovate in weapons....  
  
"War." Taki had read her mind.  
  
"Yes, war." Sophitia answered, not sure of how to proceed. The Greece she knew had been   
reasonably peaceful her whole life, and she knew nothing of battle save for tales of Persian   
invasions and the great civil war between intellectual Athens and burly Sparta.   
  
There were also stories of invasions by Turks from the east, but otherwise she knew nothing about   
war. This was due to a kindly Phanariot who made sure that the place where she lived was not as   
brutalized nor as corrupt as other regions in Greece.  
  
Sophitia shuddered at the thought of war. The thought of all that killing, of people losing   
loved ones.... she felt as if it were too much. The sight of too much blood.... she didn't want   
to think about that. It had been difficult overcoming her aversion to it for the quest Hephaestus   
had set upon her, and she didn't want to go back to those thoughts anytime soon.  
  
But she found herself curious about war right now because of Taki. How could someone develop   
the will to kill as this ninja had? How could Taki kill without being bothered by the act itself? How   
could anyone kill another human being?  
  
Was it a product of war? Was Taki a product of any war? Was there....  
  
"Is there.... a war in Japan right now?" Sophitia asked, cursing herself for the bluntness of her   
question. After all, it might have been a sensitive topic for her companion. But Taki didn't seem   
the least bit miffed at her question.  
  
"Yes, all the time. It's those crazy samurai families-- they all want control of Japan. And the   
Ashikaga shoguns-the real ruling class in Japan-- well, they're just a bunch of poor excuses for   
samurai who can't even wield a wooden sword properly." Taki snorted, and Sophitia noted the   
hint of disgust in the ninja's words.  
  
"But it's none of my concern," Taki finished. "My job comes first in my list of priorities, and   
serving any of those idiotic warrior families is not my job. Not like some other foolish ninja."  
  
Taki turned to her. "You're wondering why I can take a life, aren't you?" the ninja asked.  
  
Sophitia stared at her. Taki simply amazed her. Ashamed, she looked at the ground, not   
wanting to meet Taki's gaze. "Yes."  
  
Taki cocked her head to the side. "You really haven't been trained for your mission,   
have you?"  
  
Sophitia shook her head. No, she had absolutely no preparation for her quest, apart from   
how to wield her sword. She'd gone straight from baking bread to trying to survive, and it  
hadn't been easy in the least. She also disliked how weak she felt, unable to complete a quest  
simply because of her own weakness. That, and the fact that she wanted to learn how to kill  
bothered her. "I wasn't trained to kill..." she weakly replied.  
  
She felt Taki's fingers against her chin, and she looked up into Taki's gentle, brown-eyed   
gaze. "Maybe," the ninja began softly, "maybe that's not such a bad thing for someone such   
as you."  
  
to be continued.......  
  
*jin long speaks*  
whew! research sucks, but it's essential. if it's not the videogame fanatics that go after you,  
it's those history buffs. but heck! all for a good story with a bit of canon material. anyway, four   
chapters 8-o! holy canoli, and this one's the longest so far!  
  
anyway, to the person who first reviewed my work; thanks silvermoonlight! yes, you can count  
on there being more chapters to this sucker. hey, hope you get that fourth chapter of yours done   
soon!   
  
chapter five soon!  
*jin long shuts up* 


	5. Requietum Chapter 5

disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all belong to NAMCO.   
Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
jin_long@lycos.com  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"There are few in this world that are innocent to bloodshed."  
  
Taki let her fingers drop from Sophitia's chin. "And there are even less that would not kill.  
It's a rarity now, I would think, to find one such as you." You probably wouldn't survive   
this world, Taki thought, this is a world where warriors have less-than-noble reasons  
to raise a sword. A person as beautiful as you...  
  
Taki quickly shook the thought from her mind. What was she thinking? She shouldn't  
think such things, especially since she barely even knew this foreigner. Gods knew  
how foreigners would think or what they would do.  
  
But she... is, in a way, pretty attractive... for a foreigner, anyway... There I go again, Taki  
mused, trying yet again to quell her train of thought.   
  
Sophitia looked away, much to Taki's relief. "I know. But not being able to kill is a weakness. The   
gods' will is for me to destroy all traces of Soul Edge, and I don't want to fail them. But I did, and I  
almost paid for my failure with my life,"she said.  
  
The Greek continued. "I want to be strong enough for this quest the gods have given me,   
Taki." She looked up into the ninja's dark brown eyes. "I know that some people will have  
to fall for Soul Edge to be gone from this world. If so, I must learn how to kill. Else I will fail."  
  
Taki looked away. No.... this girl had been blinded by faith. Not faith, Taki thought, but religion.  
Already a mindless war had been fought over desert sands for blind faith. She'd heard that  
much as she travelled towards Spain from Japan. It was a huge loss. And all for what, Taki   
thought. It was no different from the warring daimyo of Japan.  
  
It was also starting to sound very familiar, and very uncomfortable. The foreigner's... Sophitia's  
words seemed to conjure up some long forgotten memory and the emotions associated with it.  
That there was something in Sophtia's appearance that reminded Taki of something didn't help  
either.  
  
"Then why would a god set such a quest upon one who has no intent to kill? Why would he   
choose a baker's daughter? Why would it be you?" Taki asked, more to stop delving into her  
memory than anything else.  
  
"I don't know. I don't know how Hephaestus thinks. But I know that he sent you to me at my   
moment of failure and you had the will to kill the pirate." Sophitia turned Taki's face towards  
hers. "I think he sent you to me to teach me, that I might complete my quest," the Greek said.  
  
Sent me to you? Your god sent me to you? Taki found it only too ludicrous. It was only a  
coincidence, a twist of fortune that had sent her to the port at that time. "Are you serious  
about what you just said?" Taki stared at the young blonde. "That's just.... that's just ridiculous!"  
  
The ninja shook her head. "And you want me to teach you how to kill? How to have the will to kill?  
You're mad, completely mad!" Taki found it crazy that someone would want to have the will to kill.  
It was even more insane that this Greek would want to kill or hurt! All for a silly little quest!  
  
Foreigners could be so weird, Taki thought.  
  
However, they could also be... Taki pushed the thought that resurfaced with a glance at Sophitia  
back into the recesses of her mind.   
  
"I just want to be strong, Taki. I just want to be strong enough for this quest," Sophitia answered.  
She squinted. "And no. I do not think it is ridiculous that we should have met because of   
Hephaestus," Sophitia continued. "I think it was fate," she finished.  
  
"Sophitia," Taki began. "Is that what your heart says? Is that what you really think? Do you really  
want to kill people?" It was most likely not, Taki knew. Sophitia could not look her straight in the  
eye when she had said that she'd desired to have to will to kill. It was a sign that would have   
escaped the notice of one who was not trained by the ninja.  
  
Sophitia remained silent and looked away. But Taki would not stand for silence. She had to know  
if Sophitia was willing to give up her blood innocence for something that seemed so foolish. She   
grasped Sophitia's chin in her fingers and turned the Greek's face to her own, blue eyes meeting  
her own dark brown orbs.   
  
She should not do such a thing, Taki thought. Not for this. Risking her life for some god...  
  
Sophitia breathed in deeply, and Taki knew the Greek was struggling within herself for an answer.  
  
"If it helps, Sophitia. I would not think any less of you if you said no," Taki assured her, grasping  
the Greek's shoulders. I'd actually be quite relieved, Taki thought to herself.   
  
By the kami, why do I even care to not think ill of her if she says no? The ninja mentally shrugged.  
Why am I even bothering to assure her of herself? She's just some girl on some quest that I just  
happened to save, Taki argued.   
  
Why do I care at all?  
  
"All right." Sophitia closed her eyes for a moment before answering. "I don't. I don't want to have   
to kill anyone during this quest." She paused for a moment, then spoke again. "I know. I'm weak.  
I'm just a baker's daughter... what would I know of killing? What would I know of war?" Sophitia  
averted her gaze again. "I just... I just want to do what is right."  
  
This conflict was too much for someone like Sophitia, Taki thought. What merciless gods these   
foreign deities were to torture their subjects like this. The dilemma of how to do what was right  
while knowing you had to do wrong to accomplish it... that was agony to figure out.  
  
"I can sense you do," Taki said, letting go of Sophitia. This conversation had been too..... dark,  
Taki felt. And she'd shown more emotion than she should have. Why did she care, anyway, she  
asked herself. Why did she care that this girl should not learn how to kill? In fact, what was the  
big deal if this girl learned to kill?  
  
"Taki?" she heard Sophitia ask as they began to walk anew.  
  
"Yes?" Taki answered.  
  
"Why can... Why do you have the will to kill?"  
  
Taki thought about her answer for a moment. It took quite a while, but she soon found an answer.  
"Because it's my job to kill. And I kill to protect some people."  
  
"Is it difficult?" the Greek asked.  
  
Taki closed her eyes again to ponder her answer. "Only the first kill. And only when it comes to   
human beings."  
  
She was sure the answer had surprised that Greek, as was evident in Sophitia's tone and her   
question. "What do you mean 'only when it comes to human beings'?" the Greek asked, only   
too puzzled by the ninja's enigmatic statement.  
  
"I've never told you what I really do in Japan, do I?" Taki replied, not waiting for a reply as she  
continued.   
  
"I hunt demons, Sophitia. And you don't need a conscience to kill them."  
  
to be continued...  
  
*jin long speaks*  
if you're all wondering where the action/adventure part is........ well, you gotta review my work!  
chapter 7 isn't going to come out if there ain't any reviews! 


	6. Requietum Chapter 6

disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all belong to NAMCO.   
Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
jin_long@lycos.com  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Demons?  
  
This was weird, Sophitia thought. "Demons? You kill Demons?"  
  
"I hunt them, actually. My clan......" Taki's voice trailed off. It must be a sore spot for her,  
Sophitia thought. Maybe it wasn't a subject to be pursued, especially since they had just  
argued about killing and wanting to kill.  
  
Sophitia felt as if she was going crazy, having said the words she had. I wanted to kill? I  
actually wanted to learn how to kill? That was me speaking? No wonder Taki had been  
taken aback. Surely, Taki could kill, and obviously was not entirely averse to it, but to  
hear such words from a baker's daughter.....  
  
Part of herself had wanted to know, she knew. Part of herself wanted the will to kill another  
human being. She wondered what her family would think. Oh Hephaestus, she thought to the  
heavens, this was all so confusing!  
  
And surely Taki was sent by Hepahaestus, never mind Taki's denial of it. There was no such  
thing as coincidence, Sophitia felt. The gods were too powerful for that, and the Fates even  
more so.  
  
Strange, Taki seemed so averse to the concept of following gods.  
  
But Sophitia thought it best not to ask about these things. Not now, at least. She would find  
the time and place to satisfy her curiosity soon enough.  
  
-------------------  
  
They soon came to a village. It was a quaint sort of village, the kind that had only hovels, the  
basic blacksmith and maybe one stall that sold food. It was a farming community, as could be   
realized by the fields that spread out behind it, and the folk that tilled them right now.  
  
It reminded Sophitia somewhat of Greece. Some parts of Greece at least, the locations where  
wheat was grown and olive trees thrived. Athens was in no way like this, but she recalled  
being taken once to those farms where her father bought flour for their bakery.  
  
Hardly anyone littered about the streets, and she could sense some fear about her. This village  
had obviously been under some trouble, or some malevolent force. Sophitia could see people  
peeking out at herself and Taki from the windows and doors of their hovels.  
  
"They don't take to strangers, do they?" she asked Taki.  
  
The ninja nodded. "I sense that a presence has been here, one of the frightful sort," Taki said.  
"You sensed it too, didn't you?"  
  
Sophitia nodded. "Yes. But if we're to stay somewhere for the night-" she paused to look west,  
at the already setting sun- "we might as well assure them that we mean no harm."  
  
Taki nodded once more, then looked around. She seemed to be lost in thought for a while before  
she spoke again. "Let's try the blacksmith. I see the shop over there." Sophitia wondered for a   
moment why Taki would think of talking to the blacksmith. "I just have a good feeling about it,"  
the ninja answered, as if reading the Greek's mind.  
  
---------------------  
  
"You must excuse us. We've had some... problems lately," the woman said, placing a loaf of  
bread on the table. She may have been Taki's age, Sophitia noticed, but apparently work  
and marriage and probably even this current crisis had turned their hostess rather old and  
tired for her age.  
  
"Your husband... Where does he do his forging?" Sophitia heard Taki ask.  
  
"Out back, he does mostly farming tools," their hostess answered.  
  
"I should like to talk to him," Taki said.  
  
"Oh, no, you shouldn't." Their hostess tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "He doesn't like to   
be disturbed while he works, and he's having a difficult time right now with some woodcutters'   
axes." She added a small cheese to the table. "He probably wouldn't be very welcoming.... that  
is, unless you were a blacksmith yourself," she finished.  
  
From Taki's tone, Sophitia surmised that the ninja had smiled. "Oh, I think he won't have a   
problem with me. So, if you don't mind, I'll have a chat with him."  
  
Their hostess sighed. Apparently she knew that whatever she said would not stop Taki, Sophitia  
thought. "As you like. But I don't want to hear any whining if he throws you back in here."  
  
With that, Taki left for the blacksmith's forge.  
  
Realizing something, Sophitia spoke. "My apologies, we haven't been introduced. I'm Sophitia  
Alexandra and my companion's name is Taki."  
  
Her hostess smiled, replying "Ah, Alexandra. Greek, aren't you?" Sophitia nodded, then the woman  
continued. "I'm Ingrid. My grouchy spouse back there is Jaeger." Ingrid giggled. "I hope he's not   
too harsh on your friend!"  
  
Sophitia tore off a piece of the bread and helped herself to a bit of cheese. "Oh, I have a feeling  
he won't be." She chewed, swallowed then continued. "Ingrid, your town isn't too welcoming  
when it comes to strangers, isn't it?" Sophitia tore off another piece of the bread. Ingird had   
mentioned that the town had some sort of crisis and she was curious about that. "What were   
those troubles you mentioned?"  
  
Ingrid stiffened up for a moment before replying. "Aye, I suppose it shouldn't hurt to tell you,  
young lass." She sat down in front of Sophitia at the table. "Depend on the kindness of strangers   
and all."  
  
She began. "We are opressed folk who lead simple lives. Aye, I can still remember the days when  
this village was peaceful." Ingrid sighed, continuing. "Then they came, these damned bandits. Truly,  
they were poorly armed and without the hardiness of soldiers, but what they lacked in their own  
prowess they made up for in devil's work."  
  
Devil's work? Sophitia wondered what the woman meant by that. She'd heard stories about the One  
God and his eternal foe The Devil, told by knights passing through Greece every so often. Her   
skepticism for this tale was only too true, for to her there were no gods other than her people's   
own.Apparently, Ingrid here was a believer in such tales. Sophitia kept quiet, however, listening   
intently.  
  
"We would fight now, but we remember the lesson from our past. Once, we set ourselves upon   
them,and so they set upon us this abomination, this Balrog. Aye, it was a terrible, terrible tragedy.  
Now, because of that creature they drain us until we starve!"  
  
"My apologies, lass. I would speak no more of it, if you don't mind. Ingrid's eyes seemed to brim   
with tears, Sophitia noticed. She would not have expected otherwise. She had probably caused the  
conjuring up of some very unpleasant memories. "I do not mind."  
  
Then she had this one thought, an idea out of empathy for this woman and this village's loss.   
Sophitia found herself almost enraged at the bandits. Such people always got a rise out of her  
if she heard of their deeds. But first, a last question. "Ingrid, what is a Balrog?"  
  
"A demon of the worst and fearful sort, lass."  
  
Great. She'd need Taki's help for this one too. And she wondered if Taki would even be willing to  
fight a foreign demon.  
  
But Taki seemed to a be a good sort of person, Sophitia thought. After all, hadn't the ninja saved  
her back in Spain? Hadn't the ninja dressed her wounds and watched over her all three nights  
that Soul Edge's venom assaulted her mind?  
  
For some reason, Sophitia began to blush slightly at the thought of the ninja watching patiently  
over her. She further reddened, realizing just how Taki would have been able to get at all her   
wounds. Gods knew that the Soul Edge fragments had embedded themselves just about   
everywhere on her body. Taki would have had to... had to...  
  
And she remembered, though vaguely, that the hands that had attended to her wounds had been  
very gentle and quite caring.  
  
Sophitia gulped. She shouldn't think of Taki that way.   
  
It wasn't... right...  
  
to be continued...  
  
*jin long's notes*  
ah, finally finished in spite of betareading, sleep deprivation and writer's block. I swear, these   
chapters get longer as I go.  
  
oh, and that balrog..... if anyone has seen or read the Lord of the Rings trilogy, well, you can be  
sure the dynamic duo have got their work cut out for them.  
  
where's the action? where's the adventure? if anyone hasn't been paying attention to my notes,  
last chapter I gave every sign that both are going to start come chapter 7.  
  
thanks to my two latest reviewers, Rain and Uche Boche.  
  
...  
  
that's it for now. 


	7. Requietum Chapter 7

disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all belong to NAMCO.   
Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
jin_long@lycos.com  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Thwack!  
  
Jaeger stared at just how cleanly the axe chopped through the log. "Amazing! This is no  
earthly forging!" he exclaimed. "And who would have thought that a woman would know  
her way at the anvil?"  
  
Taki just chuckled. It had only been a matter of adding a more flexible core and a slightly  
more curved edge to the hand axe. A simple matter if you had been forging your clan's  
weapons since you were a teenager.  
  
"I couldn't get the right edge for this thing and you walk right in and..." Jaeger scratched   
his head. "You must teach me that. Woodcutting would be so much easier." "But of course-  
smith to smith eh?" Taki said. "You are keeping your end of the deal aren't you?"  
  
"To let you and your friend stay the night? Well, of course!"  
  
"Well, this is amazing."  
  
Jaeger and Taki turned to Ingrid, who brought some water in. "Normally he's all coarse and  
whatnot, but you have him as if he were a child." She set two mugs on a nearby bench. "I've  
always thought the key to him is through his forge," she added. "And you've just proved me  
right."  
  
Taki shrugged. "It was nothing, really. Just a little shop talk. How foreigners forge amazes me  
as well." She took one mug, had a look at it, then put it back down. It wasn't exactly... clean,  
Taki thought. Obviously, it hadn't been boiled either. It was somewhat the color of rust, Taki  
noted. That liquid was going nowhere near her lips.  
  
Jaeger, on the other hand, immediately downed the same water in the other mug. Ewww,   
Taki thought.  
  
"Oh, where's Sophitia? I'd like to have a talk with her," Taki said, thinking 'I could use some  
fresh air; geez, these two smell like they haven't had a bath in... What was with foreigners,  
at least the ones she'd met? How often did they bathe? Those in the desert regions smelled   
even....  
  
Ah, good, she had gotten out. And politely too. At least the outside of the hovel smelled better.  
  
"I said move your ass, old man!"  
  
Taki saw a burly, unkempt man shove an elderly counterpart to the ground. "I told you that  
our boss wants this village to cough up what we asked for. Now me and my pals here," the  
thug motioned to his two other companions, "aren't gonna waste a good day's worth of   
riding for nothing! Cough up the money old man, or you know very well what's going to   
happen to you and your village."  
  
Why were the villagers doing nothing, Taki wondered. There were a whole lot more of them,  
enough to overwhelm these three rogues. She sighed. If no one was going to do anything,  
well, she wouldn't let that stop her.  
  
"We are working as hard as we can." The old man quivered. "The money would be here if  
you hadn't taken a great part of our last harvest. Please, I beg you, one more week..."  
  
"That ain't my problem!" The thug dismounted from the horse and gave the old man a   
resounding kick which caused the aged fellow to gasp in pain. "Money. Now," he demanded,  
giving the old man another boot to the body that sent the elder flying.  
  
Taki caught the old man and set him down. Turning to the trio of thugs, she said "Hey, didn't  
your mother teach you how to treat old folks?" She kept her body very slightly tensed, ready   
for anything. Thugs were quite predictable when it came to someone standing up to them.  
  
The rogue who had dismounted turned to her. "And what have we here? Woman, go back to  
your sewing and leave the old man to us. This isn't your concern. 'Sides, what can you do  
anyway?"  
  
Taki found herself grinning. Even if she only had half of Rekki-maru right now, if she fought  
these three it would be amusing, at the most. Already she could tell that they had very little   
training if at all, the dismounted thug from the way he stood the other two from their cockiness   
and the way they held their spears. "Acting all tough... I bet you aren't such fierce sons of a   
bitch if it comes to real opposition."  
  
The rogue's gaze narrowed. "You callin' me a wuss?"   
  
This was getting fun. Making the thug angry was fun and to her advantage. The sooner this  
coming fight was over, the better, Taki mused. Still, she'd amuse herself. "You bet your ass  
I am. In any case, you ought to leave before things get ugly."  
  
The thug would apparently have none of this. "I'll show you how things work around here,   
you bitch!" he snarled, rushing at her with a sword drawn.   
  
Excellent. Taki rushed at him too, something she knew he didn't expect, especially since she   
hadn't drawn her broken sword. The thug slashed as she came close, and it was an easy   
matter to dodge it, close in and smash his nose with the heel of her hand. She heard the   
cartilage shatter as she did, driving a pair of knuckles into his solar plexus.  
  
Her last attack knocked the wind out of him and forced him back. It was just the right range   
for her kicks so she dealt his groin a strong kick and his temple a fierce roundhouse that   
sent him crashing into one of the hovels.  
  
Taki could see the rogue's nose bleeding horribly, blood streaking down from the broken   
cartilage. His head must have been throbbing; she'd made sure her kick had struck his   
temple directly. He must have been surprised too.  
  
The ninja sighed. He might have been twice her weight and had twice her muscle mass,  
but she had speed, which lent itself to enhancing the strength of her strikes, and she  
knew where exactly she should hit in order to subdue him effectively. The pain would   
keep him down for a while.  
  
She turned her senses onto the remaining two. Fight or flee, she asked them silently,   
readying herself and feeling which one would attack next.  
  
Fight. One of the thugs charged at her, lowering his spear and readying himself to run  
her through. The horse under him thundered on, fast as anything. She dodged on his first   
pass; this would be challenging. He had more mobility and height than her for the moment.   
But not for long.  
  
Taki grabbed a nearby hoe, much to the amusement of the thug, she knew. She smiled in  
reply under her mask, raising her hand in a gesture to egg him on. He soon wouldn't be   
laughing anymore.  
  
The thug hollered then charged again, brandishing the spear in exactly the same attack. Again,  
Taki dodged, but this time she twirled the hoe and hit the horse's legs. The charger went   
down, sending its rider flying. However, Taki continued the motion and knocked the thug back  
to the ground before he even began to fall. She gave him one last strike to his head to   
overpower him.  
  
The ninja ditched the hoe, dropping it on the ground; she wasn't really that good with   
quarterstaffs and she never really used them anyway.  
  
She looked up at the last thug. He was staring at her, eyes wide. Fight or flee, she asked again  
silently, still ready in case he chose the former. She ground her hind toe into the earth, arms  
relaxed but raised, fists loose but ready to strike.  
  
Flee. The remaining thug yanked on the reins of his horse and bade it to gallop away. But Taki  
thought it better to not let him go. As the rogue turned she tossed up the hoe with her foot,  
jumping then turning in the air. She kicked the hoe at the escaping goon before she landed,  
smacking him in the head and off his horse, which went on to run into the distance. He didn't  
move as she checked if he was out cold, which he was.  
  
Three down and no more to go.  
  
"You have doomed us!"  
  
Taki turned around. A crowd had gathered and she hadn't noticed, being too focused on her foes.  
Doomed them? Taki didn't understand the words of the old man whom she'd defended. How?   
Hadn't she just helped them?  
  
The crowd murmured along the same lines, although 'stupid foreigner' and 'I told you strangers   
would bring us trouble' came up as well.  
  
"They will send it! They will set it upon us and again we will have nothing!"  
  
"It's all your fault!"  
  
"Why couldn't you just have left them alone?"  
  
Damn. Damn.  
  
Taki looked at the crowd, searching for a face that didn't display some sense of hostility. She   
found it as Sophitia came to her side and led her back to the blacksmith. "I don't understand,"  
Taki finally said. "What the hell's their problem?" I did nothing wrong. I just did what they   
should have.  
  
Sophitia smiled as they got back to the blacksmith's house. "That was amazing, Taki. I've   
never seen anything like that before."  
  
Taki grinned a bit. "At least you're appreciative. What the hell is their problem?" Then the  
intuition that had been jarred by the puzzlement became acute again. "There's something  
I don't know, isn't there?" Taki asked. "Something I suppose you're going to tell me about?"  
  
to be continued...  
  
*jin long's notes*  
ah, finally, the chapter with the action. or bit of action, really. looks like Taki's in trouble,  
uh oh. anyway, expect another slow chapter, then action, action, action.  
  
as for the quips about foreigners, well, it was like that around the timeframe of the Soul Edge/  
Calibur series. it's still medieval, folks! people really smell like crud around that time, because  
taking a bath was hazardous to their health (or so they said).  
  
coming soon, on Requietum: A Journey Home --- Enter the Balrog! 


	8. Requietum Chapter 8

disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all belong to NAMCO.   
Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
jin_long@lycos.com  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Sophitia sighed. Taki had done a very good thing, the right action for the right time   
and place. Yet it had earned the ninja the ire of the village save for their gracious hosts.  
Apparently, people could not be so grateful for a good deed if they themselves chose  
to live in fear and submission. And also, a hero could do nothing for them.  
  
She turned to Taki, who was next to her and had her oriental eyes closed. What did   
the ninja think of all this? She could not sense anything from Taki other than an apathy  
that seemed to have been ingrained in the eastern woman.  
  
Sophitia looked away again, snuggling into the bedroll and staring at the ceiling of the  
forge. This was the reality of quests, wasn't it?   
  
Taki might have such a difficult time. Only because these villagers haven't the guts to   
help themselves, she thought. Did they even want to be saved?  
  
In any case the panicked folk were sure that the Balrog and its master would soon show  
themselves in the town. Of course, they would blame this on Taki, instead of thanking  
her for what she was about to do.  
  
Sophitia thought back to when she was explaining the reaction of the villagers. Taki's   
eyes had lit up when she mentioned the Balrog, and the ninja became even more   
inquisitive such that she had to ask Ingrid more about the Balrog.  
  
How does it look? How large? Taki had asked so many questions. And Taki even seemed  
to think of going after some devilish juggernaut was fun.  
  
Maybe it reminded the ninja of her clan. After all, Taki's clan hunted demons, didn't they?  
Sophitia wondered if Taki had been struck by a sense of homesickness at any point during  
their journey. The Greek had felt in a good number of times, and the bread she had for her  
meal even reminded her of the bakery she'd left.  
  
She leaned over, looking at Taki's relaxed expression and gently brushing stray strands of hair  
from Taki's face. "I wonder what your family is like. Do you miss them?" she mused out loud. "Or   
is it such a difficult thing to talk about? I know that one time you mentioned them you stopped."  
  
Sophitia smiled, watching the ninja sleep. "You doubt it so much, your being sent by   
Hephaestus to me. To save me." Sophitia breathed in deeply, then continued. "Everything  
points to it. Don't you see? He sent you. You're a smith," she noted, remembering what  
Ingrid had told her. "And he is their god."  
  
She watched Taki stir for a moment, then the ninja rolled to face her, looking into her eyes.  
"You really still think that?" Taki asked, half-asleep.  
  
"I never doubt it for a second." That was the truth, she knew. Apparently, she couldn't ever  
convince Taki of that fact. "He may be my god, but I'm sure that there is another entity,  
another force that caused you to meet me. I can't ever doubt that."   
  
The ninja smiled, and Sophitia noticed, as Taki had taken off her mask. "It's just coincidence,  
Sophitia." Taki sighed. "I know, I know. You're not going to accept that, but I'll always think  
that."  
  
Sophitia's thoughts turned the the Balrog and its inevitable arrival. Taki acted somewhat cocky  
upon hearing about the Balrog. Was it just to mask some emotion or another? She knew that  
if she was in Taki's place, well, she would be scared, more or less. After all, it was a foreign  
demon and she might not quite know how to fight it or even win.  
  
"Taki, are you scared, thinking of what you have to do when the Balrog gets here?"  
  
"No," Taki answered without missing a beat. "All I care about is killing it and moving on. You  
still have to get home, remember?"  
  
Sophitia nodded slightly.  
  
"You know," Taki began, "I think I might need your help for this one."  
  
My help? Sophitia wondered about that. She couldn't... kill, she knew. Why would Taki want her  
aid in this endeavor. She got somewhat scared just thinking about facing a gargantuan beast of  
flame. People were easier to deal with; all you had to do was prove that you were better or at  
the very least scare them. Demons... now demons had no fear whatsoever...  
  
"Are you sure? I... I might just get in your way..." And that would be a dangerous thing, Sophitia  
thought.  
  
"Not at all." Taki gave her a long, hard look in the eye. "After all, I need someone for bait."  
  
Bait? Sophitia gave Taki a wierd look. She was going to stare the monster in the face, scream  
like a little girl and just hope Taki would manage to rescue her and defeat the demon at the  
same time? Did Taki think she would stand for that?  
  
Then Taki cracked up and Sophitia realized the ninja had been joking. "You fell for it! Did you   
seriously think I would just use you as bait? What a waste of a warrior who managed to   
shatter Soul Edge!"  
  
"Aw!" Sophitia punched Taki in the shoulder, groaning.  
  
"Seriously," Taki said after her laughter subsided. "If the demon is a giant, I'm going to need  
some help. Back in Japan my whole clan once had to go against this huge demon..." Taki's  
voice trailed off and her gaze darkened. It did not go unnoticed by Sophitia. "Taki?"  
  
The ninja shook her head. "No, it's nothing." She breathed in deeply. "In any case, I'd better  
check our equipment and repair it if necessary." The ninja closed her eyes. "Except for  
Rekki-maru. Foreign forges don't have what's necessary."  
  
Sophitia laid back as well, thinking about Taki's sudden change in mood at the mention of  
her clan and now, a demon. She found herself wondering about it very intensely. It hadn't  
been just that. Taki would almost always avoid looking at her for a very long time. The  
ninja would even avoid her gaze sometimes, as if her blonde hair and blue eyes conjured  
up a buried and unwanted emotion.  
  
The Greek laid back. What a strange savior you have sent to me, Hephaestus, she thought.  
  
to be continued...  
  
---------------------------  
  
*Quips from Taki and Sophitia overheard by jin long*  
  
Taki: This is so typical. The heroine destroys what needs to be destroyed, then ends up with  
a husband and some kids and it's easily bye bye adventuring days and no more sword  
chasing.   
  
Taki tosses game manual onto floor  
  
Sophitia looks up from the Playstation 2 and the game she's playing  
  
Sophitia: What the heck are you talking about, Taki?  
  
Taki gives Sophitia one long hard look  
  
Sophitia: What?  
  
Taki just stares at Sophitia with a curious look  
  
Sophitia: What? Is there something on my face?  
  
Taki: No. Forget I said anything.   
  
Taki thinks (Man, I hate storylines like that)  
  
Taki: So, whatcha playin'?  
  
*jin long muses*  
i think everyone can tell what I and Taki think of the canon Soul Calibur storyline...  
if you don't know what we're talking about, you haven't read enough on Soul  
Calibur. 


	9. Requietum Chapter 9

disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all   
belong to NAMCO. Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But   
this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
jin_long@lycos.com  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Taki set about repairing Sophitia's sword.  
  
It had tiny nicks everywhere as well as a couple of cracks on its edge. Such  
was probably the result of blows from Soul Edge, and they had weakened the   
sword considerably. All it would take was a reasonably strong strike and the   
so-called divinely forged blade would shatter.  
  
There was no doubting it was a wonderful piece of forging, Taki knew, as she   
pounded on it with a hammer. She concentrated hard - forging was no easy   
business. If she didn't put her soul into her work, the sword would be   
worthless.  
  
She wondered to herself why she wanted to repair the girl's sword at all.   
Her rational self argued that it was just the right thing to do. If the Greek's  
equipment broke, continued her logical half, she would have more trouble  
during the battle, since she'd be trying to find a way to get the girl to safety  
while fighting, which was difficult.  
  
However, a softer side to herself argued that there was another motive for  
her actions. It argued that she wanted Sophitia to be safe, to not get hurt,  
to not die. It argued that she felt some connection with this girl, just a  
special something for this young foreiger that she denied herself many  
times over.  
  
It was at that point that Taki told her irrational, emotional self to shut the  
hell up.  
  
Sweat rolled down her brow unnoticed, a result of the heat of Jaeger's   
forge. The blacksmith was outside with Ingrid, trying to convince the mayor   
that she would defeat the demon. They were surely having just as difficult   
a time as she had trying to convince them.  
  
"Are you scared?" Sophitia had asked the night before. No. With all that   
rage towards demons that she had, there was no room for fear. It was   
something she had wondered about for so long. She had never been so full   
of hate for demons since...   
  
No, she always had. She always hated demons and loved killing them. It  
was not a matter of duty. She had been taught to hate them to become   
more efficient in hunting and slaying them.  
  
That wasn't true, her mind argued.  
  
She shook off the thought and continued her forging. Sophitia would need   
a sword after all, both for the task at hand and the journey home. As for   
herself, Taki realized she would have to use Mekki-maru, as Rekki-maru   
was broken.  
  
Mekki-maru... She had doubts about using Mekki-maru. She could feel the   
dark energy emenating from it and she could hear Hachibei's plea over and   
over again. She had taken Mekki-maru with her on her travels for Soul Edge   
lest the clan find it and give it to Toki. However, she had never used it. It was   
only now that she was even considering it, only now since Rekki-maru was  
shattered.  
  
She didn't have that essential metal right now to repair Rekki-maru, the metal   
that was used specifically for demon hunters' blades. It was a very rare ore  
that granted such swords the power to amplify their wielder's spiritual energy   
versus demons. Of course, a demon hunter definitely had to have a good   
amount of evil-repelling energy in the first place else the sword would be as  
useless as an ordinary one versus demons.  
  
That exceptional ore could only be found in areas the Fuuma ninja dominated,   
and this foreign land was not one of them.  
  
She returned to her work, so fully concentrated that she didn't notice Sophitia   
entering the forge.  
  
The first sign that Sophitia was there was her voice. "The villagers are all out   
of the village and in their emergency refuge." The blonde sat herself beside Taki,   
watching the ninja work. "Aren't you tired? You've been working the whole day."  
  
"Not really," Taki said. "This is actually meditative, so it doesn't tire me as you  
think." She landed another blow with the hammer on the sword as a memory  
drifted through her senses...  
  
-------------  
  
"Leave Taki alone. She's busy trying to learn something."  
  
Toki's command boomed throughout the forge, but Taki tried to force it out   
of her mind and concentrate on what the clan smith was telling her. "This ore   
needs to be this hot before you combine it with the metal that makes our   
blades." He pounded the metal he was forging again. "You know why we have   
to use this ore, right?"  
  
"So that the swords can kill demons, right?" Taki answered.  
  
"Very good." The smith nodded appreciatively. "All right, you so the next stroke.   
Not too hard, and make sure you hit it such that it becomes a wedge shape." Taki   
licked her dry lips as she nodded. "O-Okay," she said, taking the smith's offered   
hammer then striking the sword.  
  
"But I'm not doing anything to distract her, master Toki."  
  
"All the same, leave Taki alone."  
  
"Good. Now then, pump on the bellows. The fire is not nearly as hot as it needs   
to be." Taki nodded, moving over to the large bellows and pressing down on it   
with her foot. The fire roared back to full force with the renwed supply of oxygen,   
much to the smith's approval.  
  
"All right. Now return to beside me." Taki obeyed promptly, turning around to   
do so.  
  
She caught a glimpse of the girl Toki was scolding. The girl, she would never   
forget, had blonde hair and blue eyes....  
  
--------------  
  
What the hell?  
  
She'd lost her concentration, but fortunately the forging was done. She lifted the   
blade with a pair of smith's tongs then placed it in water to cool it. When that was   
finished she began to work the handle around it.  
  
That memory...  
  
That girl...  
  
She shook her head. There was no point concentrating on that right now. As if to  
brush it from her mind she spoke. "I guess you'll be ready for tomorrow."  
  
Sophitia sighed. "I hope so." Taki realized something from the Greek's tone of   
voice. "Just trust me on this - you won't have to kill anyone. But I wouldn't mind a  
few, well-placed immobilizing strikes - not fatal of course, but enough to keep   
anyone else down while we deal with the demon."  
  
The Greek nodded. "I can do that. I did it on a ship on my way to Spain. She   
smirked at the thought. "It wasn't really pleasant."  
  
Taki nodded idly, finishing off the handle. "Well, it can't be all pleasant, you know.   
I just have to know if you're commited to helping these folk out. If any of those rogues   
come along we do have to defend ourselves." She smiled. "Look, you can still back out.   
But let me tell you; I wouldn't ask you in the first place if I thought that you couldn't  
deliver."  
  
Sophitia ran a hand through her blonde hair. "Even if I can't kill?" she asked. "Of   
course. You do have the will to defend yourself, I'm sure," Taki added.  
  
She finished wrapping leather on the grip of the sword's hilt. "You know, it may seem   
strange to have just the two of us going up against a demon and several rogues -"   
Minus the three she'd beaten down and who had been bound and gagged by the   
village folk. "-But I do have a plan."  
  
She smiled softly at the Greek, who for some reason blushed at her gesture. "And yes,   
you're going to be bait for just a little while."   
  
to be continued...  
  
*jin long's notes*  
such a rushed chapter, i think, but at least i covered all the bases for the rest of   
the story.  
  
if you think who i think you think the blonde-haired girl in Taki's brief flashback is,   
well, you're wrong.  
  
the Balrog is gonna be kinda different from the Tolkien style Balrog. it's gonna be a   
cross between japanese mythology and norse mythology.  
  
on a final note, i hope the Tolkien estate doesn't catch me using 'Balrog' 


	10. Requietum Chapter 10

disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all   
belong to NAMCO. Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this   
fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
jin_long@lycos.com  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Sophitia gazed softly at the setting sun, inhaling deeply. Dusk would soon turn   
into night, and the damned rogues would be here soon. She looked around at   
the houses - normally there would be a candle or two burning, but the villagers   
had been sent to a refuge and had been told not to give a sign of their presence.  
  
She was a baker's daughter and she was months away from home. She'd gone   
on a quest for a god and had met a mysterious but utterly fascinating foreigner.   
And now, she was homesick but at the same time dreaded to return.  
  
It would mean a loss of the freedom she'd discovered on the road and during her   
travels. Her father would surely put her under lock and key, both in the bakery and   
in the house. He would marry her off as he saw fit, and she never doubted that it   
would be merely for economic reasons. Her mother would not object - she never   
did object to her husband's wishes.  
  
Sophitia found now that she did not want that life. Pity poor Cassandra and her   
other siblings. But as it was, she could not choose her father, mother or family.   
Somehow, Sophitia knew, eventually she would have to return to them out of   
some perverted sense of duty.  
  
But for now there were rogues to be battled and a possible demon. There was a   
village to be aided and a friend to be helped. Friend... Sophitia found herself   
wondering about that and about Taki. Was Taki just a friend and savior to her or...  
  
She drove the thought from her mind. What she needed to to now was focus and so   
she did. Warriors without focus die, she remembered her trainer saying back in   
Greece.  
  
The sound of hoofbeats and many, many footsteps met her ears. It didn't take long   
for the rogues, on horseback or no, to come into her view. With them was a man   
who seemed out of place in their group. He had an air of refinement about him,   
most unusual considering his company.   
  
Sophitia almost grinned as a straggler was pulled into the darkness by an unseen   
hand, to be released none too soon. She kept her eyes off the shadow that tackled   
down an unsuspecting horseman and managed to make both horse and rider   
disappear from view.  
  
It went on for a generous amount of time and the funny thing was that the band of   
brigands were totally clueless as they came to a stop in front of her, intent on   
confrontation.  
  
"I heard that our three buddies got defeated by some bitch in this village."  
  
"Yah, we gotta teach this village a lesson."  
  
"There's more than enough of us to deal with that one bitch."  
  
Minus a generous number, Sophitia thought. She'd lost count. "You are truly   
pathetic. You would steal from innocent people and then demand more?"   
Sophitia said. "How typical of your kind. You strike fear into their hearts that   
you might rule over they who number more than you, and that they would   
turn on each other to satisfy your desires."  
  
The out-of-place man spoke next. "So, you are that damsel that stood against   
three of my men. And you seek to save this village?" His tone was sarcastic.   
"They are simple folk and are many, true, but they are also weak. As is the   
law of nature they who are strong must rule the weak, even if the strong are   
a minority."  
  
"Strong? I see no one of strength. Before me there is only rabble that picks on   
defenseless people and robs them of what is theirs," Sophitia hated bandits, the   
bakery back in Greece having been a victim when she was merely four. She   
hated their self-righteouness and how they justified their actions.  
  
The out-of-place fellow laughed before he spoke again. "A pity you cannot see   
things as they are. You, in fact, should be with us and not protecting these vermin.   
However, from your words I believe you would not wish to join us."  
  
He motioned for his men to attack her. "Three may have been beaten by you,  
but you stand no chance against for-" He paused, looking around. "Oh you are all   
foolish," he told his men. "Already we have been attacked and you saw no sign?"  
  
"Damn, I got rid of only 15 before someone noticed? I must be losing my   
touch!"  
  
The shadow Sophitia had avoided eyeing moments ago landed at her side,   
Mekki-maru at the ready. Taki grinned. "And let's get this straight - I was the   
one who taught those three nutcases a lesson."  
  
The now obviously leader of the rogues sighed. "Another of strength defending   
the weak? Still, you are no match for my remaining thirty men." He motioned for   
the brigands to charge, which they did.  
  
Before slamming her foot into the nose of on brigand and making him whimper   
like a baby, Taki took a look at Sophitia and said "Hey, you get 15 and I get the   
same, okay?"  
  
-------------------  
  
As one rogue tried to slash at Sophitia she leapt above him, grabbing his head  
between her thighs then leaning backwards and smashing him into another of his   
comrades. She rolled out from her hold, almost immediately stabbing another  
brigand in the leg with her sword then whacking him on the head with her shield   
to knock him out.  
  
Another tried to get at her with a spear, but she leapt over the thrust and   
somersaulted, hitting him on the back of the head with her heel. She then   
leapt up and slammed the hilt of her sword into his nape for good measure.   
He fell to the ground, unconscious.  
  
"How many downed, Sophie?"  
  
"Four!" she yelled at Taki.  
  
"Hurry up! I'm onto my seventh already!" Taki replied, rolling under a slash   
then replying with a bladed uppercut and an airborne kick.  
  
Seven already, Sophitia wondered as she grabbed another man's head   
between her thighs and slammed him to the ground. She kneed another   
brigand in the groin, incapacitating him for a good amount of time as she   
stepped over his bent back and used it as a boost to sidekick another rogue   
in the head.  
  
Two rougues were quickly upon her, but she darted towards them, stabbing   
one in the leg and sword arm, then knocking the other out cold with her shield.   
A couple more began to run towards her, so she tossed her shield, the edge of   
which smacked into one bandit's nose, cracking the cartilage and causing blood   
to flow profusely. Still not through she kicked him unconscious, stabbing both his   
partner's legs before she grabbed her shield.   
  
She blocked another thrust with a spear then closed in, striking her attacker's   
legs from under him then smacking him to the ground while he was still airborne.   
She kicked up the attacker's spear then sent it flying at another attacker with an   
additional kick, soon rendering him unconscious.   
  
"Copycat!" she heard Taki yell over the chaos.  
  
"But it works!" she replied in turn, smashing another outlaw's shin bones with   
the broad side of her sword. He fell to the ground in great pain. The last one was   
even easier; all she did was sidestep his charge then trip him and smash him into   
the ground, cracking the bridge of his nose.  
  
Sophitia breathed in deeply, surveying the result of the battle before her. She had   
done pretty well for herself, she thought.  
  
"You knew they were simply fodder for our blades and skills," she heard Taki say   
to the leader of the brigands, and she knew this to be correct.  
  
The leader was hardly shaken. "Most exceptional perception. I did tire of them,   
you know. But as usual, it seems that it's up to me to deal with you."  
  
He stripped himself of his robe, exposing a rather muscular and tight body. In the  
center of his chest was a gem that somehow reminded Sophitia of Soul Edge. "These   
fellows care only for the booty, really." He cracked his knuckles, saying "What   
I care for is destroying presumptuous vermin such as youselves and the many  
knights who tried to stop me."  
  
Suddenly, his eyes glowed red as he raised his arms to the heavens. Fire   
surrounded - no- erupted from his body. Curled horns grew from his head   
and wings erupted from his back as his face contorted into the gruesome   
features of a creature neither man nor beast. Soon he towered over the   
two women, almost four times their height. He laughed, his voice lower in   
octave and sounding all too demonic as he conjured up a sword of flame,   
the heat next to unbearable.  
  
"Those were trained knights, foolish humans! It took only moments to burn  
their hapless selves. And so shall it be for you!!!!!" He smiled, baring huge fangs   
that were obviously razor sharp and could easily bite an armored knight in two.   
"You two will suffer so much before I kill you both." He roared, the ground   
vibrating with the sound. "You will both regret that you battled against me!!!   
Behold the power of one from Muspelheim!!!"  
  
Sophitia stared up at the behemoth before her. So this was a Balrog. She   
understood now the fear of the townspeople. But they needed her help and   
she wasn't about to run away and let them down. No, she as a servant of   
Hephaestus could do no such thing.  
  
"Holy... so it's like an Akuma, only much larger," Sophitia heard Taki say.  
  
The ninja put an arm on her shoulder. "Well, it's the main event. I hope   
you're ready," Taki said.  
  
Sophitia grinned nodding. "For all the innocent people you've terrorized and   
killed, I will not run," she yelled at the Balrog. "We will not yield, and in doing   
so we will end your reign of terror. The time of your judgment is at hand!!!"  
  
"Bring it on!!!!"  
  
to be continued...  
----------------------  
  
*more quips from Sophitia and Taki overheard by jin long*  
  
(Sophitia scans Cassandra's Soul Calibur 2 biography)  
  
Sophitia: What the... how the heck was she able to see you extracting Soul Edge   
from me? You mean to say you waited several months, traveling from  
Spain to Greece, before you pulled those shards out?!  
  
Taki: That's what the boss made it to look like.  
  
Sophitia: But... but I would have been dead by then!  
  
Taki: Uh huh. Look, Namco gave us a storyline that you're not supposed to think  
too hard about. Heck, the boss probably put us in a jet or something to  
scoot us off to Greece to work Cassandra's biography.  
  
Sophitia: But that's ludicrous! There weren't any jets during our time period!  
  
Taki: And there wasn't any Spandex either but look at what I've been wearing for  
the past two games. Elvis didn't exist either but we got Mr. Dandy copying  
him.  
  
Sophitia: And why am I not in Soul Calibur 2?  
  
Taki: Namco married you off.  
  
Sophitia: 0_0 WHAT?!  
  
Taki: And you have kids.  
  
Sophitia: 0_0 !!!!!!! But I don't even like kids! Especially since Cassandra was such a  
brat when she was younger!  
  
Taki: Well, I don't like what the keep doing to me either. I'm already in a Spandex   
suit that shows off my body, but nooooo... they want more skin! First they   
cut my sleeves for Soul Calibur, now they remove my mask. I swear they  
would have me naked if it was decent!   
  
(Sophitia and Taki sigh)  
  
Sophitia: It's hard working for Namco.  
  
Taki: Yes it is.  
  
*jin long snorts*  
goddamn typos. i didn't spot my mistake until i read this for the third time. damn. 


	11. Requietum Chapter 11

disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all belong to NAMCO.   
Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
jin_long@lycos.com  
  
Chapter 11  
  
The flaming sword glowed an unholy red in the darkness of the night as it smashed into  
a hovel, barely missing the ninja that had managed to leap off the structure's roof. The  
house splintered, wooden beams reduced to a mess of splinters and stone rendered  
fragmented. Fire erupted from the remains of the building, a result of the sword's flame.  
  
Taki shielded her eyes with her arm as the debris flew up at her from the impact. A piece  
of stone grazed her cheek, causing a trickle of crimson to appear. She could see Sophitia  
dodge the sword as it thudded into the ground next to the Greek, sending earth flying up.  
  
With unsure slowness Taki unsheathed Mekki-maru, already resonating with the demon's   
energy. It was hungry. So very hungry.  
  
Swiftly, she ran across the rooftops heading for the Balrog. The demon was distracted, all  
its concentration on the Greek that was continually dodging its blows. It bought her enough  
time to leap into the air and sink Mekki-maru into the closest available and strategic target.  
  
The Balrog howled as the blade penetrated its sword shoulder. But for its size it was a   
wonder that it felt the blade at all. Not content with what was a mere pinprick on the   
demon's shoulder Taki drove it downwards using her weight and all the force she could   
muster.  
  
The demon swatted her away, but not before she left it with a wound that stretched almost   
to its chest from its shoulder. Taki grunted, feeling the force of the wind of the blow smack  
into her as she dodged.  
  
She rolled as she landed and got to her feet. If the stike had actually connected, she knew   
she would have been quite dazed. Mekki-maru seemed to take on an evil glow as it slowly  
absorbed the Balrog's blood till it shone once more. It did not go unnoticed.   
  
The Balrog grinned, putting a claw to its wound, then suddenly its red eyes opened wide in  
shock. Taki intuited what this meant, saying "I see you aren't used to being injured and  
being unable to heal your wounds." The Balrog's response was a growl. "Even knights with  
blessed blades couldn't do this! How?!"  
  
How indeed, Taki thought. No wonder Toki wanted Mekki-maru.   
  
She siezed upon the chance offered demon's bewildered state and charged. From the corner   
of her eye she could see Sophitia charging in as well.   
  
But the demon reacted too fast. Its sword morphed into a flaming whip which it then used to   
sieze her by her leg. Taki felt herself lifted up into the air and flung into a nearby hovel. The  
force of the throw was strong and Taki crashed resoundingly into the house.  
  
The ninja grunted from the impact, forcing her dazed self to stand. Damn it, she had been   
a bit careless back there. She looked up and immediately raised her arms to catch the   
incoming Greek.  
  
Sophitia landed on her, the force knocking them both down. It was not enough to knock   
Taki's senses out of comission though and she asked "Hey, you okay?"  
  
Sophitia moaned a bit, rising to her feet. "Reasonable." She got back into a ready stance,   
looking up at the Balrog. "I think you made it angry."   
  
"Well, it's going to be furious then."  
  
With blinding speed Taki ran at the Balrog. Flaming sword blows thudded into the earth as   
she dodged each strike, leaping onto a nearby roof then into the air, landing on the demon's   
injured shoulder.   
  
The heat of the demon's body nearly burned her feet but she didn't care, stabbing the demon   
and slashing down its chest. Blood spurted from the huge gaping wound she left and it burned   
where it touched her skin. It swatted at her with one of its claws, but she saw it coming and   
slashed at the open palm, nearly severing a giant finger.  
  
Taki did not stop, almost in a frenzy as she stabbed the Balrog's cheek, dragging her blade out  
and exposing the demon's teeth as the cheek was cut cleanly. She stabbed, slashed, cut over   
and over, not caring what her blade severed. And Mekki-maru loved it. Mekki- maru enjoyed   
the demon's pain.  
  
Taki could not believe how brutal and sadistic she was starting to become. She could have   
beheaded it now from her position on the demon and yet she had not. She was torturing,   
playing with it before she killed it. She felt Mekki-maru acting on that supressed anger within   
herself for demons....   
  
The Balrog howled, collapsing to one knee and panting from the pain. Its eyes betrayed the pain  
Taki's slashes had caused it, and it growled, lashing out and catching her in its palm. Slowly, it   
began to tighten its fist, obviously enjoying the feeling of crushing the ninja in its palm.  
  
"I will not lose to a human!" it growled, looking her in the eye.  
  
The ninja gritted her teeth, trying to drown out the pain that was weakening her and desperately  
attempting to break the Balrog's tightening grip. She tried stabbing the fingers with her blade,  
Mekki-maru going in so deep that it almost reached what passed for bone in Balrogs, but it  
was no use. The demon's claw would not open.  
  
She had lost focus, she knew. And it would be the death of her.  
  
"Let go of her, demon!!!"  
  
Taki looked up to see Sophitia leaping towards the Balrog, sword poised to strike. And strike  
the Greek did, sinking her divinely forged blade into one of the demon's eyes. The orfice   
spurted blood and the demon howled as Sophitia twisted the blade inward to ensure that the   
eye was completely destroyed.  
  
The Balrog howled, letting go of Taki as it swatted Sophitia to the ground. The Greek landed   
painfully with a forceful thump, stunned.  
  
Taki grunted, finally free of the demon's grip. Her eyes widened in alarm as she saw the Balrog   
turn its attention and its sword towards Sophitia,who had only begun to shake off the effect of   
being stunned and was rising to her feet.  
  
"Sophitia!!!"  
  
The Greek looked up at her then grunted as she dove in and tackled her out of the path of the   
flaming sword's slash. However, Taki soon felt a searing pain as the sword connected with her  
side and she gasped.  
  
It felt as if the area around the wound was being burned from the inside. In truth, if she were   
the demon's size it would have been a mere nick, but as it was the would stretched from her hip   
to just about under her chest.   
  
Despite the pain and the bleeding she was grateful that it had just barely connected. Otherwise   
meant that she would be severed in half. Taki forced herself to rise to her feet, knowing the   
demon would not hesistate to strike again.  
  
It did as she supposed, and she barely had enough time to grab the Greek, dodge and run past   
the demon's blind side into another hovel. Breathing hard, she let the Greek down. Her vision   
was becoming blurry and she could feel the blood flowing down her side and over the hand she'd   
raised to her injury.  
  
It was becoming increasingly difficult to stay conscious but she forced her eyes to stay open.  
She knew she could not leave Sophitia alone against this demon.  
  
She heard the Greek groan beside her then the scraping of boots against the ground as Sophitia   
rose to her feet. "...That was close... Thanks Taki. I didn't..." The Greek's eyes widened and Taki  
knew Sophitia had just realized her condition. "Oh Gods, you've got to get out of here!"  
  
No, Taki answered in her mind. They had to kill the demon now. They were going to kill the demon  
now if it was the last thing she ever did. "No. I'm not leaving you..." Taki breathed in deeply. "I'm  
not leaving a first-time demon slayer! You could die, and I would never forgive myself for that!"  
  
"You're going to die if you don't go!" Sophitia placed a hand on Taki's side. "Gods, this doesn't look  
good. Get going! I'll be fine here!"  
  
"NO!" Taki yelled. "I'm not leaving you! Not before this thing is dead!"  
  
"Don't act so tough! You'll d-"  
  
She slapped Sophitia on the cheek, stunning the Greek and rendering her silent. Taki knew she was  
losing blood, and fast. Sophitia had to listen. She didn't have much time. "We'll get this thing. I need  
your help, so listen well, because there isn't much time." Taki paused, gritting her teeth to shut out   
the pain. "We're going to decapitate it. I'll distract it while you land the first strike, then I'll finish it  
off. I'll signal for when you make your move."  
  
Taki breathed in again. "I don't have much time, and neither do you. Do you understand all this?"  
  
Sophitia nodded. "I do."  
  
"Good." Summoning up the last of her strength Taki ran outside the hovel, catching the Balrog's   
attention. This was it. They had to do it in one go. There was no other chance.  
  
"So there you are!!!"  
  
The Balrog growled as it swung its sword in an overhead strike at her. Taki could see it grin as she   
raised Mekki-maru to block in response. Did it think that she couldn't block it with her ninjatou?   
  
The Balrog was obviously surprised as their weapons connected, the force of the impact causing the  
ground underneath Taki's feet to crack. Dust was sent into the air with the strength of the strike as  
Mekki-maru cackled with dark, swirling energy that seemed to surround it, cracking the Balrog's blade  
as Taki pushed up with all her might.  
  
"How is this possible?!" the demon hollered. "My sword should have shattered yours!!!"   
  
Taki grunted, still pushing against the Balrog's blade. "You are a very stupid demon. Do you think I   
would even block with this if I knew your sword would shatter it?!" She pushed further up, the Balrog's  
sword beginning to fragment. "You just don't get it, do you?" she said. "I'm trained to kill your kind,  
not like those knights or their corrupted priests!"  
  
The Balrog's sword began to fragment as Mekki-maru and Taki's energy began to swirl around them   
both. "For you to terrorize these lands is unforgiveable, demon! Now, be dead and be silent!" She   
her head to the side. "Now! Sophitia!"  
  
The Balrog howled as Sophitia leapt and came down on it, slicing through half of its neck as she   
returned to the ground. The Balrog's blade fragmented as Mekki-maru's energy tore through and  
Taki leapt up, blade aimed at the other half of the demon's neck.  
  
"Begone!!!!"  
  
Mekki-maru sliced cleanly through the Balrog and its horned head fell to the ground. The decapitated  
body fell to its knees, devilish energy swirling around it from the headless neck. Debris and earth were  
lifted into the air as the dead demon fell to the ground with a resounding thud.  
  
Taki shielded her eyes as she landed a good distance away, having pushed off from the demon before  
it collapsed. She watched as the evil entity disappeared in a whirl of dark and reddish energy into the  
night sky.  
  
It was then she allowed her eyes to close and submitted to her injury. She fell to the ground, limp and  
lifeless and felt the earth as it seemed to surround her. It seemed to be almost blissful as she drifted  
off, her physical and spiritual energy both spent.  
  
"TAKI!!!!!!"  
  
to be continued.... 


	12. Requietum Chapter 12

disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all belong to NAMCO.   
Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
jin_long@lycos.com  
  
Chapter 12  
  
"Oh gods, Hephaestus... all of you. Please, please don't let her die."  
  
Taki was below her, eyes shut in submission to pain and blood loss. Sophitia gripped the  
ninja's hand tightly. Taki had lost so much blood, she knew. The ninja had collapsed on  
the ground after destroying the Balrog, and Sophitia remembered screaming Taki's name.  
  
It had become fuzzy after that. All she could remember was hauling the limp ninja with Jaeger   
running towards her with the local medicine woman, and hauling off Taki to the temporary  
refuge of the villagers. Later she recalled the medicine woman stitching up Taki's wounds and   
Ingrid assisting her by pouring beer on Taki's wounds to cleanse them.  
  
Taki had drifted in and out of consciousness, one time shouting at the medicine woman to not use  
a dirty rag soaked with unpurified water to clean her up. Another time, the ninja had grunted and   
gritted her teeth as the needle and thread worked their way through her skin in an effort to stich   
up her wound and stem her bleeding.  
  
She had not left Taki's side ever since the ninja had been put inside a tent opposite the medicine   
woman's. It would take a miracle for Taki to survive that loss of blood, the medicine woman had   
said. And she didn't think the ninja even would pull through.   
  
Sophitia could do nothing but pray.  
  
"I know she is alien to the rest of you, but Hephaestus! Surely you would save your   
servant!"  
  
She could not stop her tears. In the months that they had been together they had grown  
on each other. She'd grown to be envious of the ninja's freedom just as Taki had become  
envious of the stability of her life as a baker's daughter.  
  
She could not, would not stand for this ninja to die.  
  
She had finally found someone like her, someone who she could share her fears and who  
could understand why she feared what she did. In Greece, she knew, no one would   
understand. No one could ever comprehend what she'd been through.  
  
Not even her family. Her father had thought her crazy, and her mother, always agreeing   
with her father, had forbidden her to go on her quest. They sought to lock her in the   
bakery and when that didn't work, in her room.  
  
Taki... Taki understood why Soul Edge had to be destroyed, she felt. Taki knew what evil  
could befall the world. Even if Taki was so different from her they were still the same.  
  
And this wound... Taki had saved her life yet again and this wound was testimony to that.  
  
She squeezed the ninja's hand as if doing so would bring Taki back to consciouness. Looking  
at Taki's bandaged but naked top half, she could see just how terrible the wound was, jagged  
and deep. It would probably scar, adding to the others she observed on the ninja's taut   
abdomen.  
  
Sophitia ran her fingers down a couple of scars. They must've been remnants of Taki's other  
prey's resistance, she thought.   
  
"I'm not leaving a first-time demon slayer! You could die, and I would never forgive myself  
for that!"  
  
She remembered Taki's words and as if in reflex raised her free hand to her cheek. She'd  
been so worried about Taki's injury that she'd forgotten all about the Balrog. The ninja was  
right, of course - she stood no chance alone versus the Balrog, but did their victory come  
at too high a price?  
  
At least now the villagers were grateful.  
  
She pressed her cheek to Taki's hand, feeling Taki's knuckles on her skin. Why could you  
never forgive yourself for leaving me behind, she wondered. Why at the risk of your own  
life? Why?  
  
And then she realized what she'd truly been feeling for Taki. She now knew what emotion   
it was that was growing withing her and knew who it demanded.  
  
"Hephaestus, please! Don't let her die! Don't let her die!" she beseeched him.  
  
I... She found herself choking on that one thought, that one thought now going through  
her mind since Taki had been on the verge of death. "I..."  
  
"Taki..."  
------------------  
  
It took a while, but Taki finally managed to open her eyes. The darkness save for a lone  
candle told her that it was nighttime. In the diluted orange glow of the candle she could  
just make out Sophitia's blonde hair and blue eyes.  
  
The sight before her surprised her. "Sophitia?" she whispered, still slightly weak. "Why  
are you crying?" She realized just how hard the Greek had been gripping her hand, and  
she squeezed in response. "Sophitia?"  
  
The Greek looked ragged, slightly dark rings under her eyes an indication that she hadn't   
been sleeping well. Had she been right here all the time? Taki tried to rise, but soon  
stopped as her stitches began to cause pain.  
  
The Greek cradled her as she raised a hand to Sophitia's face. Normally she would avoid  
that blue gaze for reasons she did not know, but now she found herself looking deep into  
their teary depths. She raised a feeble hand to Sophitia's face, running her thumb down the   
trails of tears. "Did I worry you so much?" she asked, more from a lack of options than   
anything.  
  
This was awkward. It was always awkward around someone who was crying, especially   
since she had been the cause. Taki raised herself to a sitting position, ignoring her stitches  
as she rose. She stroked Sophitia's blonde hair gently, trying to soothe the weeping Greek.  
"Sophitia..."  
  
"I thought I'd lost you..." The Greek paused to wipe away her tears. "It's been a week, Taki,  
a week that you wouldn't wake. You lost so much blood. I thought... I thought... Oh Taki..."  
  
Sophitia surprised her next. It took almost and eternity before Taki realized that the Greek's  
lips were on her own in a very gentle kiss. Sophitia? Taki's eyes widened for a moment at   
the unbelievable emotion going through her body. Sophitia was kissing her, and it felt...  
  
Taki found her eyes closing in response to the kiss. Even more surprising for her was the fact  
that she raised her hands to cradle the Greek, running her hands through that blonde hair, that  
golden blonde hair. This was... Taki began to lapse out of consciousness again. She couldn't   
think. She still didn't have enough blood or energy in her to even stay awake. And even if she  
could, she wasn't sure she could comprehend it.  
  
She ended up lying down with the smaller woman above her. It was then the kiss broke and she   
stared into the Greek's eyes. She felt so lightheaded, euphoric even, something she hadn't felt   
for some time. Was it... Taki looked questioningly into the girl's eyes. "Sophitia?"  
  
"Taki..." Fresh tears fell from the Greek's eyes and Taki raised a hand to wipe them away.   
Sophitia looked so uncomfortable, and Taki wasn't at all insensitve to this despite being half-  
delirious. "Go ahead," she replied encouragingly, though she didn't know why she was saying  
it. "I won't think any less of you, you know I won't."  
  
Sophitia breathed in deeply, and it took a moment before she spoke. "I love you, Taki."  
  
"Love... me....?" Taki felt as if she was in more of a haze than she already was. No one had   
ever told her that. Not even her stepfather, and definitely not in the context that it was being   
spoken now. "Since... since when?" she managed to choke out, her head still in the clouds as   
she felt the Greek against her.  
  
"A month ago... I didn't think that I did, but I always felt..." The Greek looked away. "You...  
you don't have to do anything..." Sophitia continued. "I... I just wanted to be honest... honest  
about my feelings... for you..."  
  
"I..." Taki found herself at a loss for words. She didn't know how to reply to this, and   
unconsciousness was taking over her senses again. Darkness surrounded her as she felt  
the Greek give in to sleep as well and collapse upon her.   
  
Had she heard that right? Had this all been real? Sophitia..... Sophie.........  
  
Blonde hair...  
  
Blue eyes...  
  
to be continued...  
  
*jin long's notes*  
i really debated with myself on wether or not to include this chapter since it's very emotional   
and i am not such a good writer of emotional stuff. i also wondered if i should make this fic  
a shoujo-ai fic since there is an excellent Sophie/Taki fic on the same site where this is posted.  
  
trust me, i'm about as delirious as Taki is right now. i'm not too sure on how to follow this thing  
up, but i will find a way of course. for some reason or another i already have the epilogue  
worked out.  
  
......  
  
check out my other fic!   
  
*end of jin long's notes* 


	13. Requietum Chapter 13

disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all belong to NAMCO.   
Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
jin_long@lycos.com  
  
Chapter 13  
  
"I love you."  
  
Taki stared for a very long time at the roof of the hovel. She didn't feel like moving, nor did she  
feel like waking the Greek sleeping on top of her. Still not taking her gaze off the roof, she moved   
a hand to Sophitia's blonde hair and began to stroke it gently. The Greek murmured in her sleep  
as the fingers felt through her golden hair.  
  
I love you, the Greek had said. Taki closed her eyes. It was almost like being in a dream, and she  
wasn't even sure it wasn't such. She opened her eyes again. And they had kissed. She assured   
herself that the Greek did not mean for much with that kiss. It did not mean what it meant back in  
Japan.  
  
But it was still a sign of very intimate affection. And she had returned the kiss, Taki knew.   
Enthusiastically, at that. Did she have the same feelings the Greek girl had for her, she wondered.   
If only the whole situation were a demon. She would have known how to deal with it and all those   
emotions that just seemed to be near bursting within her. This was... this was just to much to deal   
with right now.  
  
"Do I love you too?" she wondered out loud to the sleeping Greek. She'd eschewed much human  
contact over the years ever since... ever since she'd lost one of her family that was close to her.  
Am I afraid, Taki thought. Am I afraid of the pain that comes when I lose someone I care about?  
And what I feel for you, Sophitia - Is it protectiveness?   
  
Is it the emotion that many say turns people into fools?  
  
Or am I feeling guilty? Am I acknowledging what I have had in my heart and my mind for years?  
Do I care for you because you are you, or because you remind me of someone? Taki let her hand  
rest on Sophitia's head, breathing in slowly. It wouldn't be fair to you, Taki thought, if I appeared  
to reciprocate if I really didn't.  
  
She closed her eyes to a long-forgotten memory.  
  
The blonde-haired, blue eyed girl was there, and she finally had a name for the memory and the   
face she sometimes saw in Sophitia's own. It was someone she knew long ago, someone she  
knew so well.   
  
If she hadn't rushed her decision, if she'd paused to think... if... if... Taki breathed in deeply. She   
wanted to forget so badly. She wanted to lock that memory and the emotion she'd felt so long   
ago deep in the furthest reaches of her heart.  
  
Foreigners, she thought. Foreigners on Japanese shores. There's a reason, a reason they are   
killed...No, how can I think such things?! It was my fault, my fault for... for being too human. For   
feeling...  
  
Taki pushed the emotion associated with the memory back into the depths of her mind. Easing   
herself out from under Sophitia, Taki located the upper half of her clothes and dressed quickly,   
as if to not lose herself in her thoughts. She breathed softly, running her fingers down her stitched   
wound, then turned to leave.  
  
She paused briefly, then turned to eye Sophitia, still completely asleep. Without a word, she walked   
back to the Greek and eased her up until her head rested on the pillow. Taki then raised the blanket  
to Sophitia's shoulders, tucking it in snugly around the Greek, who mumbled in her sleep but didn't  
wake.  
  
Satisfied that Sophitia would be warm for the moment, Taki exited the room and then the hovel.  
  
------------------------   
  
Sophitia found her under a tree, seated and lost in her thoughts. Taki didn't flinch as the Greek sat   
down beside her, barely even taking notice. She didn't feel like talking. What would she say anyway,   
Taki wondered. What would she tell this girl? She couldn't find anything to talk about, so she kept   
herself thinking.  
  
She could sense an aura of nervousness about Sophitia. So, maybe she hadn't been dreaming after   
all, if how this Greek was acting was any indication of it.  
  
She continued watching the village folk go about their daily business as she remained still as the   
stones at her feet. She'd been practicing her katas earlier, trying to push the emotions from her   
heart and the memories from her mind. Taki had quit after a while, as it didn't seem to work.  
  
Most of all, she was trying to seal away the emotions and the feelings she knew she had for this   
foreigner at her side.  
  
Why was it so different with Sophitia? Why did she even care what Sophitia felt, Taki wondered.   
During that journey she'd undertaken, she hadn't cared what anybody else had felt. Not even when   
she was in Japan did it matter what other people felt for her. Kill a demon, have some fun with   
someone, then depart come the crack of dawn and leave someone with a broken heart - it had   
always been like that, and she hadn't cared to change that.  
  
She looked at Sophitia briefly, still at a loss for words. Was it worth it, anyway, to care for someone? Was  
it worth it if it was so easy for them to die? I am a wanderer anyway, Taki thought. No commitment, in and  
out of anyone's life as I please. And I like it that way.  
  
You are afraid, her mind told her. Don't lie to yourself.  
  
Afraid?  
  
Yes, her mind replied. You are. Because it hurts, doesn't it? To lose someone who means so much to you,  
and by your own hand at that. You don't want to feel the pain of loss again.   
  
Taki heard Sophitia shift her position. "This is... very uncomfortable, isn't it?" The Greek picked up a blade   
of grass and eyed it idly. "It's totally pointless, isn't it? I'm..." Sophitia sighed. "I... it was ridiculous..."  
  
Taki turned to the Greek, already sensing that Sophitia had already set herself up for rejection. No,  
Taki almost replied. Who wouldn't want to love and be loved by you? She stared for a moment at the  
Greek, watching Sophitia's blonde hair as the breeze caused it to flutter in the air.   
  
"I mean, I... I totally understand... I..." Sophitia began to stammer, an obvious sign of nervousness.  
"I guess... I guess I would be too..."  
  
"Sophitia."  
  
The Greek abruptly stopped speaking as Taki stood up. "Let's go for a walk, okay?" the ninja asked.  
  
--------------------  
  
The sun was setting as they walked through the fields, the soft breeze blowing through their hair. Taki ran  
a hand through her ebony hair, wondering what to say as the Greek came up beside her. She squinted at  
the setting sun, asking the kami, if they were here in this foreign land, for guidance. She needed it so much   
right now.  
  
"It's been a long time," she heard herself say.  
  
From the corner of her eye she saw Sophitia looking up at her, listening intently. Then she heard herself  
continue. "When I was younger, a foreigner much like you came into my life. I'll never forget. She had  
blonde hair and blue eyes, just like you, Sophitia. I remember so well..."  
  
-------------------  
  
Foreigners were often killed if they were found on Japanese shores. But not this girl. Toki had taken  
her from the sea and had taken her as his own. At first, Taki had not taken to her, unlike many of  
her adopted siblings. Maybe it was because the girl was younger than her, at least by a year.  
Eventually, however, she had come to love this foreigner, Aoi they called her, as a sister would.  
  
She helped to train this blonde child as she did the other orphans Toki took in. Such was the duty  
of those who were older among the Fuuma ninja. The girl seemed to have the talent Toki always   
searched for in his students, and she was indeed exceptional in skill despite being of foreign blood.   
  
Time passed, and the time for her first demon hunt had arrived. It was the first time she took Rekki-  
maru in her hands, Taki remembered. The unholy entity had taken to a palace of a long-forgotten  
aristocrat and had preyed upon a nearby village.  
  
The battle had been awesome, to say the least, an almost daunting venture. It was the first time she'd  
ever battled a demon, and the same could be said of her siblings. After so much struggle they had finally  
weakened the wrathful entity and she was about to deal the final blow.  
  
But it had fooled them. As soon as her blade entered the demon's heart it possessed Aoi, taking full  
control of the girl's body and mind. Employing the skills it had stolen, it set itself upon the rest of the   
Fuuma ninja. Taki could only watch as some of her family were slain, for she could not raise her blade  
against her own sibling, as her brothers and other sisters could not do as well. Even Toki, he of the cold  
words and actions, could not stand against one of his favorite pupils and daughters.  
  
It was an unbearable situation. There was only one way to kill the demon now, and that was to kill Aoi.  
It was a choice of which of her family to save - the lone girl, or the only man she called father and her  
other siblings. With a flash of the blade the decision was made, and Taki felt the tears form in her eyes  
as Aoi fell upon her, Rekki-maru deep in the blonde girl's heart.  
  
"I always thought I was weak. Too weak to kill demons. And once it discovered that one thought, that   
one truly fragile link, it had me." Aoi's words echoed in her ears. "I'm sorry, Taki. So sorry for   
everything. So sorry for not believing both you and master."  
  
She died for thinking she was too weak to kill.  
  
And she had been Taki's first kill, demon or otherwise.  
  
--------------------  
  
"Taki....." Sophitia whispered.  
  
Taki breathed in deeply. "You see, it isn't you. Who would not want to be loved by you?" Her fingers   
twitched out of nervousness by her side. "It's me. I... I've been afraid for so many years... I..." Taki  
took a deep breath, exhaled, then continued. "I stopped caring for other people. I did not want to  
invest my emotions in someone because..... because in this world, it is so easy for anyone to die."  
  
She turned to Sophitia and reached for the Greek's hand, taking it in both of her own. "I thought...  
I thought I'd forgotten... I wanted to forget....." Taki breathed softly, trying to steady herself. "But  
then I met you and you... you grew on me, and then you told me you loved me... I..."  
  
Taki closed her eyes. "Everything..... everything is so difficult right now..... My own clan wants to kill me,  
and I'm afraid if I get attached to you, I....." She gulped. "Sophitia..... I love you. Even if you will be gone  
from me when we get to Greece... I..."  
  
"I'm willing, just this once, to risk my emotions for someone on my journey," she finished, looking into  
the Greek's azure eyes. "I don't want to be afraid anymore....."  
  
Taki leaned closer to Sophitia such that their lips were almost touching. She could feel Sophitia's warm   
breath on her skin, and it felt wonderful. The Greek girl's hands travelled the spread of her back, her skin   
tingling where Sophitia's fingers touched. Sophitia then raised one of her hands to Taki's face, stroking the   
ninja's cheek gently.  
  
Taki did the same, stroking the Greek's cheek as well, gazing into Sophitia's sapphire-blue eyes, feeling  
contentment at the young foreigner's gentle smile. "I love you, Taki," Sophitia said, blushing slightly at  
how close their faces were. Then, she closed her eyes and raised her lips to Taki's own.  
  
They kissed very tenderly and softly, lost in the breeze and the feel of the fading sun's warmth.  
  
*jin long's notes*  
for once, i don't have much to say other than --- have a look and review my other fic, Calibur Academy!  
go, speed racer. go, speed racer. go, speed racer, GO! 


	14. Requietum Chapter 14

disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all belong to NAMCO.   
Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
lycan11@yahoo.com  
  
Chapter 14  
  
Time somehow just seemed to go by so fast.  
  
The seasons seemed to change so fast as the wheat fields turned golden in color. Leaves once  
green now became red and brown, falling from their trees to the now barren ground. The wind  
was colder now, not of an unpleasant sort, but still enough for one to wish for a warm fur on   
one's shoulders.  
  
Sophitia breathed gently, watching her breath form on the cool air. It would be winter soon, and  
it would last two months, three at the most. And after those three months she and Taki would  
be on their way again, headed east to Greece.  
  
It made sense to wait. Travelling from the bakery to the flour mills and back in Greece during  
winter was difficult enough, what more from this foreign land to the borders of her home country?   
Even with the horse that Taki had taken from one of the bandits they had battled the journey would   
still be arduous.  
  
Sophitia blinked, breathing inward softly again. It would be difficult to travel in winter, but for  
her journeying would actually be at its hardest come spring. It would not be because of the   
season, she knew.  
  
She heard the sound of a horse's gallop and turned around to face the source of the sound.  
Taki came riding up to her, halting the horse and dismounting. "I figured you'd be here," the ninja  
said, grinning, Sophitia saw, as Taki had taken to not wearing her mask lately. "Just watching the  
leaves, aren't you?"  
  
Sophitia smiled. "Yes, the leaves, and my companion."  
  
Taki put on a comically suspicious look and pretended to get into a fighting stance. "Where? Have  
you been seeing someone behind my back?"  
  
Sophitia smiled and cupped Taki's cheek in her hand. "Silly foreigner.... you know I mean you."  
She watched Taki grin momentarily before she kissed the Japanese woman gently. Taki responded  
just as softly, cupping the back of the Greek's head and pulling her closer.   
  
"I know that you do," Taki said as the kiss ended. "I just... well, you've been kind of... off, lately.  
You seem to have an aura of, well, we Japanese would call it negative ki... energy about you."  
Sophitia ran fingers through her hair, tucking back a stray blonde strand behind her ear. It was  
true, she thought. She realized she'd been somewhat gloomier as the months passed. "Nothing  
escapes you, huh, Taki?" she asked.  
  
Taki smiled. "Force of habit. I do have to be rather observant to be a ninja." She stroked   
Sophitia's cheek gently, saying "I just wanted to cheer you up, that's all."   
  
"Thank you." Sophitia went to the horse and stroked its mane slowly. "I just.... I was just thinking  
about my family, that's all," she said.  
  
"Homesickness, I suppose?"  
  
"You could call it that," Sophitia replied. "But I... no... never mind." She breathed in softly. She   
didn't exactly feel like talking about what was on her mind. Somehow, Sophitia felt that Taki   
wouldn't quite understand what she wanted to say. It was a rather... personal matter to begin  
with, and telling another person - even one she loved- was difficult.  
  
But Taki's confession those months ago... hadn't that also been something so personal to the  
ninja? Sophitia wondered if she was being unfair - after all, Taki had trusted her enough to  
divulge such information about herself. Besides, Taki was taking her back to Greece and trying to  
be of some comfort right now.  
  
No. Sophitia decided to think about it.  
  
But oh, by Hephaestus, she really wanted to tell Taki about it.  
  
-------------------------  
  
It was a perfectly good place to watch a near perfect sunset's light filtering in through dead brown  
and red leaves. Sophitia leaned against Taki, enjoying the feel of the other's arms around her in  
a very tender hug. They had taken to occasionally wandering a little ways off from the village to  
this spot some time ago. It provided some freedom to not be discreet as was their usual manner  
in the village.  
  
Sophitia loved it here, and also the conversations they had, particularly philosophical talks. The  
Greek was one of the few women in her village that could read, having spied on the boys in school.   
  
When she perused various old manuscripts, it had always been either Plato or Aristotle that had   
managed to capture her attention. However, philosophy for Sophitia was best served in   
conversation and debate, two things she could get neither from her family nor her friends.  
  
She would miss this, she knew, just talking to Taki about philosophy, both the familiar Western  
philosophy and the intriguing Eastern kind. She would miss this greatly, but should she give it up?  
She could choose not to go back to Greece, could choose to keep what she had gained on her   
journey, but.....  
  
There was that duty, that particular concern that had been bothering her, and had been pestering  
her still.  
  
"Taki?" she began, somewhat unsure of what she wanted to ask.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"If you had to choose between duty and love, which would you choose?"  
  
Taki looked at her oddly. "Wha..... Oh, one of those hypothetical questions......" the ninja said. Taki  
paused, thinking for a moment. "That's kind of difficult....." the ninja began. "I.... well, maybe I'd  
choose duty over love."  
  
Sophitia proceeded in curiousity. "Why?" the Greek asked. "You would give up loving someone  
for a duty that you don't like but feel you must absolutely do?"  
  
Taki tensed, seeming slightly miffed at the noticeable rise in her tone and the turn the conversation   
seemed to be taking, Sophitia noticed. "I... I'm sorry. I... I just found myself thinking of this friend   
of mine..."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Her father.... Back in Greece, her father is not known for his craft, but as a gambler. He has so   
many debts... his shop would be closed right now if he hadn't managed to make a deal with the  
local blacksmith."  
  
Sophitia inhaled deeply, cupping one of Taki's hands in her own before continuing. "The deal is...  
was perfect for him. What the blacksmith offered in exchange would cover all his debts. But what  
this father of my friend offered..." Sophitia frowned, pausing. "This father of my friend offered   
either one of his two daughters as a bride for the blacksmith's son."  
  
Sophitia heard Taki snort in disgust. "Typical. I've seen it happen lots of times. Even in Japan some  
people use their daughters as bargaining items." The ninja toyed with Sophitia's fingers before  
continuing. "A samurai friend of mine lost the woman he loved because of it. But let's get back to  
your friend, Sophitia."   
  
The Greek leaned more deeply against the ninja. It was becoming a lot easier to talk, for some   
reason or another. "I... This friend of mine, she doesn't want to go along with it. She's been able  
to get out of Greece and travel the world. She knows freedom, and she now knows that a Greek   
woman isn't simply there to marry a Greek man, make Greek babies, and cook enough Greek  
food for everybody.  
  
"And she's in love with someone from the Orient." Sophitia paused again, unconsciously squeezing   
Taki's fingers affectionately. "She... She doesn't want to go back, but..." Sophitia sighed. "But it  
seems as if she has to. She can't stop thinking about her sister. If I... my friend doesn't wed this  
blacksmith's son, her sister will."  
  
"My friend feels that... that her sister should know freedom, should know a world outside of Greece  
before settling down and being stuck in Greece for the rest of her life. My friend... my friend thinks  
... I think that my sister should know what I do! She's only sixteen, Taki! She's too young to throw   
her life away just to settle our father's debts!"  
  
Sophitia felt the tears in her eyes and felt Taki stroke her hair gently, wordless but wanting to give  
comfort. "It's outrageous! We have nothing to do with his gambling debts! Why should I or my   
sister pay for them? If only the bakery wasn't in trouble, if only we wouldn't lose our home......  
Gods damn this, Taki!"  
  
Sophitia turned around, burying her face against Taki's neck, not caring that tears of anger fell  
from her eyes. Why had her father made that deal? Why had he treated her and her sister as  
mere commodities? Why hadn't her mother objected? Why didn't anyone ask her or her sister  
how they felt about it? Why even think of using a child to settle one's debts? Why? Why?!  
  
"I love you so much, Taki! I don't want to give you or all of this up! But my sister... my sister is  
too young to lose her freedom for someone else's debts!" Sophitia whimpered, though less than   
before, feeling Taki kiss her forehead and caress her gently. "I... why... why..."  
  
"Duty... that's why I asked about duty and love... I... I don't know what to choose. I love both  
you and my sister so much..."  
  
Taki held her until her sobs subsided, silent and waiting, gently caressing her back. Sophitia   
breathed, thankful for it, closing her eyes and crying her frustration out until she could not longer  
feel it. She hugged Taki almost desperately, not wanting to let go and desiring to burn this memory  
into her mind.  
  
------------------  
  
"I understand how you feel, at least, part of it."  
  
Sophitia had closed her eyes, just leaning against Taki and listening to the ninja's voice and  
breathing. "I too have a duty that I must sacrifice this for," the ninja continued, leaning in against  
the Greek's neck. "I told you before that my clan was after me, did I not?"  
  
Sophitia nuzzled closer against Taki. Yes, it was true that the ninja had told her that, right before  
confessing love and kissing her. "I... I made a promise to one formerly of my clan to guard   
another cursed sword that has driven my stepfather insane."  
  
Taki hugged her more tightly. "I... I don't want to lose you either, but I... I'm afraid. If you go with  
me, if you stay with me, you might get hurt and I don't want that." Sophitia felt the ninja's breath  
as Taki exhaled then inhaled again. "If they track me down, if they find me and you're with me I...  
I don't want to think about it. You'd be safer in Greece. You'd be away from this whole mess that  
has nothing to do with you."  
  
Sophitia opened her eyes and began to speak, but Taki silenced her with a finger on her lips.   
"Maybe we can't be together, not now, not yet. But," Taki began, looking to the heavens, "Maybe  
someday, we will be. When all of this is over, when both our problems are finished, then...then  
surely..."  
  
"I know I will have to let go of you soon. But right now, right now I'm going to spend what time I   
have with you not thinking of when we will part. Right now, Sophitia, is what matters most. I'm not  
giving you up. Not now, and never."  
  
to be continued... 


	15. Requietum Chapter 15

disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all belong to NAMCO.   
Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
lycan11@yahoo.com  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Again time seemed to pass with no regard for those caught in its wake. Snow now blanketed the  
ground in a pure, unforgiving white. Trees were now bare and even appeared dead to the ignorant.  
Taki sniffled a bit, drawing a cloak tighter over her shoulders. Winter already, she mused. Too   
soon, she felt. Too soon for goodbyes.  
  
When exactly this dark mood had settled upon her she did not know, but Taki was absolutely sure   
that it had begun when the days rolled by and the full knowledge that she and Sophitia would be   
separated had begun to sink in. When reality itself had begun to sink in, Taki knew.  
  
The rest of the village, however, was a complete foil to what she was feeling at the moment.  
Villagers were absolutely merry despite the cold. The harvest was stored and there was not much  
work to do other than tending fires and cooking the now special evening meal. It was to be a   
special day -- and soon, night -- for them, after all.  
  
Taki forced a smile to at least discourage Jaeger and Ingrid from cheering her up. It was irritating,  
sometimes, when people tried to cheer her up, especially when she felt like confronting her own  
emotions head-on. Eventually, she had to leave both blacksmith and wife back at their hovel to   
escape their annoying joy.  
  
It was certainly difficult to know other people were happy when she was not.   
  
----------------------  
  
She barely said anything over the late evening meal and did not have much of an appetite. The   
wine was sweet and dry in her mouth, not strong enough to dull her emotions. Not that she wanted  
it to do so, Taki knew. It never did any good. Finally, she excused herself from the table and went  
to the shed where she and Sophitia had spent many nights together sleeping.  
  
Taki lit a single beeswax candle and placed it in a holder on one of the wall. The candle had a   
steady flame that gave a soft orange glow to the whole shed, and the burning wax had a sweet  
kind of smell not unlike singed sugar. Taki stared into the flame for a moment before seating  
herself on the furs that were placed there for sleeping.  
  
The ninja breathed in deeply for a moment before moving into half-lotus position, placing her hands  
on her thighs and closing her eyes. She breathed in deeply yet again, concentrating on every   
drawn breath, until a certain calm replaced her unhappiness and she felt hardly anything at all.  
  
She thought about the whole journey, about what had been and what would probably come to be.  
She thought about the young Greek who somehow managed to melt the ice she had for a heart,  
and how she had fallen for her.  
  
Taki breathed in again with a soft, controlled breath. Love.... It had been so long since she'd   
allowed herself to actually feel whatever emotion dominated her. It seemed like so long ago  
that she had distanced herself from people and had sometimes even used them for selfish   
reasons.  
  
The ninja wondered why she let herself be weak like that, had let herself fall into the depths of  
some depression that had taken a foreigner to lift her from.  
  
Taki smiled, remembering Hachibei's other words to her when she last saw him. "You've got to  
let go, Taki, and you've got to let someone else in there," he had said, pointing at her heart.  
"I'm not saying that you should forget, mind you. I'm just saying that maybe, you should be  
able to at least talk to someone."  
  
Yes, that's right, Taki thought. She, however, never thought that she would fall in love and with a  
foreigner no less.  
  
She realized that it was an experience to be happy about. Those talks in the forest, the   
companionship during the journey, even fighting the Balrog was to always be a special part of  
her memories.  
  
And memories would still remain even if Sophitia was in Greece and she was in Japan. Why   
shouldn't memories such as being with Sophitia remain if it was easy to remember the pain  
of loss and disenchantment? Hadn't she told Sophitia the same thing, that they should enjoy   
what time they had left together instead of doing what she was doing this very moment?  
  
Taki exhaled and opened her eyes.  
  
There was a lot to be happy about, even if winter was near its end, she knew.  
  
Taki stood up from the furs and decided to return outside to join the merriment of the village.  
Maybe she'd have some fun with Sophitia, Ingrid and Jaeger instead of wallowing in a depression  
about what was to come, she figured.  
  
She was about to open the door when Sophitia came in, carrying a bottle of wine and two mugs.  
  
"Hi." The Greek smiled at her, pushing the door with her shoulder, both hands employed to carry  
the mugs and the wine. "I thought you might like some company," Sophitia said. Taki grinned in  
reply as she reached for the bottle to help the Greek. "I was thinking of being alone, really," she  
replied, and before Sophitia could speak again, she added "Alone with you, anyway. Lock the door,  
will you? I don't want anyone to disturb us."  
  
Taki sat down again on the furs and set the bottle of wine down. Sophitia joined her at her side   
after locking the door, placing the two mugs on the sleeping fur and reaching for the bottle. "It's a   
wonderful night, isn't it?" Sophitia asked, uncorking the bottle and pouring some wine into the mugs   
for the two of them. "Everybody's so happy, you can feel it in the the air."  
  
Sophitia handed her a mug half-full of the rich red wine. "You know, now that they aren't worried  
about Balrogs or bandits, everyone seems to be more welcoming," Sophitia said. "I guess also  
it's the time of the year for such things." The Greek sipped a bit from her own mug. "Mmm... sweet  
but dry, exactly how I like it," Sophitia said.  
  
"Really?" Taki said, continuing the small talk. It wasn't exactly what she wanted to do at the   
moment but she couldn't think of how exactly to initiate what she did want to do. Nearly at a loss,  
Taki sipped from her own mug, put it down, cupped the Greek's hand and leaned in, kissing   
Sophitia softly and tenderly.  
  
She could taste the wine slightly on Sophitia's lips, just as the Greek could on her own, Taki knew.  
The ninja felt Sophitia's free hand on her face, the palm a delicate warmth on her cheek. Taki  
pulled Sophitia closer to herself, slow and deliberate in her action.  
  
She wasn't sure when she pulled away from the Greek's lips, only knowing that she continued the  
kiss down to the Greek's pale neck. Sophitia's other hand cupped her nape, a sign the Greek had  
placed her own mug on the ground. "T.... Taki..." she heard Sophitia whisper into her ear, the   
Greek's warm breath against her skin causing her to shiver with delight.  
  
Taki moved down to the base of Sophitia's throat, alternately dipping her tongue into the hollow   
between the Greek's collarbones. She breathed in the Greek's scent deeply -- Sophitia most  
certainly did not smell like a lot of foreigners she'd met on her journey to Spain. Sophitia smelled  
clean, had a scent almost as fresh as newly fallen rain or snow.  
  
Sophitia did not protest as she moved back to kissing the Greek's lips, but this time the Greek  
held Taki there, as if to confirm to corporeal reality of the ninja embracing her, as if to burn  
the very feel of Taki into her body.  
  
It was only a short time after that they parted, but it felt like an eternity. Sophitia gave a soft sigh  
as they did, and Taki knew it mirrored an emotion in her own self. There had to be more to this  
than just what they had been doing, and Taki knew that there certainly was. It was something  
that had as a prerequisite a certain giving, a certain exposure of vulnerability for herself and  
for the young Greek as well.  
  
There was no doubt she knew how to go about it. But what gave Taki the tiniest bit of uncertainty  
was that fact that she had never done it out of caring deeply for someone the way she did for  
Sophitia. In the ninja's life, seduction and what it sometimes led to was only a tool for   
death-dealing or a means of not having to deal with unwanted emotions.   
  
It had only been once that she'd not done it for such reasons, which was incidentally the first time  
she'd ever done so. It had been a one-night stand with an intimate samurai friend who had been   
emotionally devastated after losing the love of his life. It was more of a comforting that got out  
of hand, due to both their desperation to not deal with the pain that existed in their hearts, one  
for a lost love, another for a fallen sibling.  
  
Taki breathed softly, looking at Sophitia, who had a sense of nervousness in her features but a  
willingness in her eyes. Could she make love because of the simple reason that she loved   
someone?  
  
One never forgot the first time they ever made love, Taki knew. By the way Sophitia looked at her,  
by the look fraught with questions in Sophitia's eyes, the ninja knew that Sophitia had never  
experienced what she planned to do. She'd seen that look one too many times.  
  
If she were to take Sophitia now, it would require her utmost effort to make it a very wonderful  
experience for the Greek. It helped, Taki realized, that there was a certain aura of happiness  
about the area. The glow of the sole candle and the fading scent of the wine added to it. It seemed  
to suit the mood, and Taki knew she couldn't have done better if she tried.  
  
She took Sophitia in her arms and felt the Greek breathe against her neck as Sophitia rested her  
head on her shoulder. Taki ran her fingers through the young Greek's hair, teasing the blonde  
strands before she kissed the girl's forehead.  
  
"Sophitia," Taki began, "I want to make love to you."  
  
The Greek raised her head to meet the ninja's gaze. "Taki..." Sophitia trailed off, and her eyes  
betrayed so many questions in her mind.  
  
"Do you want me to?" Taki asked. "Do you trust me to?"  
  
Sophitia took a moment to think, dropping her gaze to the floor, and Taki waited. A moment later,  
blue eyes locked on her own brown orbs with a softly whispered answer, "Yes."  
  
Taki couldn't remember how the act began, only that she'd stripped Sophitia naked and had begun  
to kiss her just about everywhere, tracing scars with the utmost tenderness using kisses and gentle  
fingers.  
  
She felt Sophitia's fingers working on her ponytail and finally succeeding, her jet-black hair  
falling to just beneath her shoulder blades, above the hollow of her lower back. The Greek then  
tried to undress her with little success until she herself removed her own clothing and all that  
remained was flesh upon flesh, an occidental in an oriental's embrace.  
  
It became a flood for the senses soon enough, clouding her mind until only desire, love and  
pleasure could be felt. The reality of dissipated loneliness, the sense of want and release were all  
that could be percieved.  
  
The kisses, the glances betraying love, sighs brought about by gentle fingers to bodies now   
sensitive to the slightest touch... It felt fulfilling, wonderful and euphoric all at the same time.   
They felt so much more alive, the ninja and the servant of a god, their existence affirmed by  
each other.  
  
With a final kiss, Taki clasped Sophitia's hand in one of her own as their world went white, both of   
them giving in to release.  
  
"Taki!!!"  
  
to be continued...  
  
jin long: *BLEEP!*in' typos. I'm tired. 


	16. Requietum Chapter 16

disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki or Sophitia. These all belong to NAMCO.   
Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
lycan11@yahoo.com  
  
Chapter 16  
  
Sophitia could not think of a better way to wake up than in her lover's arms in the early cool of a  
winter's day. The Greek squinted then rubbed the sleep out of her eyes with one hand, its partner  
still placed on the curve of her sleeping lover's waist. Sighing blissfully, Sophitia glanced at Taki's   
peaceful face, the oriental's eyes shut with an appearance of ease as she breathed softly.  
  
The Greek did not want to make a sound, for somehow it seemed as if any noise would spoil the  
moment and the morning calm. Sophitia raised the hand previously taking the sleep from her eyes  
to Taki's cheek, brushing against the ninja's skin in a deliberate slowness.  
  
Sophitia smiled, hearing Taki murmur softly but not wake as her fingers trailed the oriental's face.  
She would always treasure this quiet moment, Sophitia knew. This calm and the full reality of Taki's  
material presence was something she never wanted to forget.  
  
She couldn't resist placing a gentle kiss on Taki's lips, to which the ninja half-smiled in reply, still  
lost in sleep.  
  
I have the smith of the gods as a guide and then I fall in love with a smith, Sophitia thought to  
herself, smiling softly and snuggling in closer against Taki. Funny how blacksmiths seem to be  
so significant in my life.  
  
Taki murmured softly yet again as she felt the Greek snuggle in closer. The kunoichi pulled away  
slightly to the side, stretching briefly before opening her eyes and staring at the ceiling. Sophitia  
took advantage of the fact that Taki had rolled onto her back and immediately rose to quickly  
hold the ninja down playfully as she looked into Taki's surprised eyes.  
  
"Huh! This is the first time someone I slept with woke up earlier than me..." the kunoichi remarked.  
  
"Oh really?" Sophitia said, smiling as she nuzzled Taki's nose while keeping her grip on the ninja's  
wrists firm. "Hhmmm...." the young Greek heard Taki mumble, "Yes...." Sophitia laughed, feeling  
so happy at this peaceful moment. "Maybe I was too much for you, eh, Taki?"  
  
Dark brown eyes betraying amusement peered into her own. "It's not like I didn't enjoy it, you   
know," the kunoichi answered, flashing a smile that nearly caused Sophitia's grip to loosen with  
its sincerity. "But how about you?" Taki asked.  
  
Sophitia grinned, setting herself down on Taki while trying to maintain her grip. How was she?   
Euphoric, feeling unbelievably happy just being with this person, Sophitia knew. Feeling very  
blissful knowing that she was loved.  
  
"I'm... I don't know how to put it into words. Last night was so... unreal... But it was wonderful,   
Taki, it really was. I won't forget it." Sophitia closed her eyes. I won't, Taki, I promise you, the  
young Greek thought to herself.   
  
The Greek yelped as Taki suddenly reversed their positions and she ended up below Taki, staring  
with surprise into the kunoichi's brown eyes. Taki grinned, leaning on one elbow as she gently  
stroked Sophitia's face with the fingers of her free hand. Sophitia sighed, feeling Taki's touch and  
closing her eyes for a moment. It was so peaceful...  
  
"I love you..." Sophitia heard Taki say with absolute sincerity of her words. "Even if you're going   
to be half a world away from me after winter, I still want to love you," Taki finished, nuzzling the   
Greek's nose with her own before kissing her briefly.  
  
"No, a little longer, please," Sophitia said, reaching up to cup Taki's nape and pulling the ninja   
down. "I just need to feel you here with me."  
  
"Alright."  
  
"Taki?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"How do you say 'I love you' in 'Nihon-go'? Your tongue?"  
  
"Ano.... Aishiteru, Sophitia. 'Atashi wa anata o aishitemasu.'"  
  
"Say that again."  
  
"Aishiteru." Sophitia felt Taki's lips brush against her own. "Anata o aishitemasu."  
  
"I know you do," Sophitia grinned.  
  
The Greek shut her eyes as they kissed, loving the feel of Taki against her and the touch of the   
ninja's free arm around her body. Gently, she ran her fingers down the valley between Taki's   
breasts, tracing the scar Taki had gained while battling the balrog for the sake of the village.  
  
What a strange and long journey it had been, coming all the way from Greece to Spain on a quest  
for a god, defying both family and what many expected of her, Sophitia thought. Nothing had  
ever prepared her for battle, for evil swords or for towering demons.   
  
Nothing had prepared her as well for love, much less love for someone from so far outside Greece  
and so different from herself. It had shattered her illusion of Greece being the center of the world  
and the rest of the lands being the domains of barbarians without even a modicum of decency.  
  
It was such a new world. It was different from anything she'd known her whole life, and she did  
not regret knowing about it, just as she knew Socrates himself did not regret knowing that he did  
not know everything, even dying for what he believed.  
  
If anything good ever came out of the existence of Soul Edge, Sophitia thought to herself, it was  
the fact that it had forced her into this world she once dreaded but now hated to leave behind. The  
evil sword had led her to someone whom she loved and who loved her in return.  
  
Sophitia found that twist of fate amusing and at the same time, wonderful.  
  
As their lips parted, Sophitia opened her eyes and reached up to brush Taki's cheek with all the   
affection she could muster. Bringing her hand back down, Sophitia reached around the back of  
her head for the ribbon that still bound her hair, albeit loosely because of the night before, into  
a ponytail.  
  
Untying the crimson length of cloth, Sophitia brought it to her front as she took Taki's free hand  
in her own. She tied one end of the ribbon around Taki's wrist, ignoring the ninja's "Nani?" as she  
wrapped then tied the other end around her own wrist such that they were both bound together.  
Sophitia finished the gesture as she raised their wrists to he lips and kissed the scarlet bond.  
  
"Taki," the Greek began, looking up into the kunoichi's eyes, "anata o aishitemasu."   
  
The demon-slaying kunoichi gazed into her eyes, and Sophitia could see that Taki was puzzled. The  
Greek smiled, realizing she'd forgotten that the ninja wouldn't have understood the gesture,  
meaningful as it would be had Taki been Greek herself. "Nan desu... I mean, what's with the whole  
.... tying the wrists together and all?" the kunoichi asked.  
  
Sophitia laughed, then explained. "Lovers in Greece do this to show and confirm their love for one  
another," she said, smiling. "I didn't realize... of course you wouldn't know about it. But I am   
absolutely sincere about it."  
  
"Oh." Taki eyed the crimson bond, smiling. "Is that all there is to this.... ritual of your people? Or   
should I do something to complete it?"  
  
"You kiss the bond in return, to show you accept my love. Though I don't doubt that you will."  
  
"Like this?" Taki closed her eyes and kissed the ribbon.  
  
"Like that," Sophitia grinned, "and then, this," the Greek finished, reaching up with her free hand to   
turn Taki's face to her own and kiss her. "Aishiteru, Taki."  
  
"You know," Taki said as their lips parted, "your accent for Nihon-go needs work."  
  
Sophitia laughed, retorting "As does your accent for Greek."  
  
Taki laughed as well, lowering herself off her elbow as she lay down beside Sophitia. "I still have  
so much to learn about you and your people," the kunoichi said, slipping a hand under the Greek's  
body and drawing Sophitia closer to herself. "Half a year was just too short to really find out about  
you."  
  
Sophitia smiled as she snuggled in closer to Taki, her head under the kunoichi's chin. She raised  
her bound hand to her chest, inadvertedly raising Taki's hand as well. The Greek glanced at the   
crimson bond, sighing softly. "I'll have to untie this later," she said, cupping Taki's bound hand with  
her free hand. "As I will have to let go of you until I see you again."  
  
She kissed Taki's neck tenderly. "It pains me so much to think of when that time will come,"   
Sophitia said, already feeling the ache in her heart.   
  
"It's not yet the time for goodbyes, Sophitia," she heard Taki say. The ninja sighed audibly. "It's  
such a nice day, you know. It would be a shame to waste it thinking of that day."  
  
Sophitia looked into Taki's eyes, loving the brown gaze that peered so softly back into her own.  
"That is true," the Greek knew. "Taki... Let's just stay here for a while, like this, together. I don't  
care for how long right now, I just want to enjoy this winter's day with someone I love."  
  
"Of course, Sophitia," Taki said, placing a tender kiss on the Greek's lips as she drew Sophitia as  
close as possible to herself. "You know, we could be a little bit.... slower on the journey back to   
Greece, if you catch my drift," the Greek heard the ninja say.  
  
They both laughed happily, breaking the kiss. Sophitia closed her eyes, feeling Taki's warmth as  
the ninja bent her head down to sniff at the Greek's blonde hair. The blonde murmured   
contentedly as she felt Taki breathe against her skin, loving the sensation it created within her   
senses.  
  
"I love you," Sophitia whispered, every ounce of sincerity in her words.  
  
"Aishiteru," Taki replied.  
  
to be continued... 


	17. Requietum Epilogue

disclaimer: I do not own Soul Calibur, Soul Edge, Taki, Mitsurugi or Sophitia. These all belong to   
NAMCO. Such a pity; they won't let me have them. Oh well. But this fanfic is mine.  
  
Requietum  
by jin long  
lycan11@yahoo.com  
  
Epilogue  
  
It was a dark night with few stars and a crescent moon as the only available light.  
  
It was perfect, Sophitia thought as she looked out the solitary window in her room. The night  
was perfect for what she intended to do. The little light and the fact that most of Athens was  
asleep at this hour would make it easier to sneak out of the bakery and out of the city. After  
that, it was only a matter of swiftly making her way to a group of travelling merchants that  
were to leave at the crack of dawn.  
  
Soul Edge was still in the world. She had sensed it, and Hephaestus himself had confirmed  
that fact. Again, she chose to chase that evil sword to hell and back. Again, however,  
no one had believed her and her own father had locked her in her room, thinking that she had  
not the courage to slip through the window and climb down from there. He had underestimated  
her, she knew. She was no longer that young, naive girl from the past.  
  
After she donned her shoulder guards she turned her attention to her weapons, taking the newly-  
forged sword and shield into her hands. They felt different somehow from her old weapons. Taki  
told her that blacksmiths did- and as a matter of fact, should- place their very soul into  
what they forged. Somehow, somehow something was off with this sword and shield, forged by  
the one she was to be forced to wed.  
  
The weapon seemed to give off an aura that seemed to suffocate her with its neediness and its  
sense of possessiveness, as if whoever forged it wanted to have full dominion over her and her  
life. It was such that Sophitia wondered what she was getting into and what she was attempting  
to keep Cassandra from.  
  
She thought about that. This fiancee of hers... she thought upon first glance that she loved this   
person, but it was not so. The way her fiancee looked, brown-haired and brown-eyed... it reminded  
her so much of Taki for one reason or another. That was why initially, she had taken to the one   
she was to wed. But her realization of this fact and the feel of what her fiancee had forged made   
her wonder.  
  
And after all, her heart belonged to someone else, she knew. Someone she had loved and wished   
to love still. Someone she would have wanted to spend her life with if it weren't for the fact that  
Cassandra would have to take her place should she not sacrifice herself.  
  
For now, the sword and shield she had would do. There was no way she could sneak into the   
temple of Hephaestus and steal back the sword and shield Taki had repaired without being caught.  
Maybe, if she met Taki once more, the ninja could fix whatever was wrong with her new weapons.  
  
Sophitia eased herself out the window and got a good grip on some of the beams beneath her  
feet that jutted out from the house. She squatted and took took one deep breath, then tipped   
backward such that she swung down and hung from the beam, checking the area on which she   
would land before she let go and landed with a near-quiet thump.  
  
"You're doing it again."  
  
Sophitia whirled around to meet the source of the voice, body tensing in readiness for an attack.  
Seeing who it was, she dropped her guard and relaxed.  
  
"Cassandra," Sophtia said, eyeing her younger sister.  
  
"Why are you running away again, Sis?" Cassandra asked.  
  
"You know why. I told you why." Sophitia gave Cassandra one last look, then turned to run away.  
"I told everyone why, but no one believes me." She began to break into a run, but Cassandra   
caught her hand and pulled her back.  
  
"Sis, don't do this!" Cassandra pleaded. "I let you leave once, I won't again!"  
  
Sophitia looked Cassandra in the face. The girl was almost crying, tears about to fall from azure  
eyes. "You.... The last time you left... you came back with all those scars... you took so long..."  
Cassandra paused to blink away some tears. "Why must you go? Why can't you stay here? Why  
can't you just settle down, marry the one father wants you to wed instead of going off on a crazy  
quest?" Cassandra asked.  
  
Sophitia smiled and gently patted Cassandra on the head. "You're so concerned about me," she  
whispered. "I never thought... what with all the trouble you used to give me and all the pranks  
you played..."  
  
She ruffled Cassandra's blonde hair slightly before continuing. "Don't you worry about your big  
sister, Cass. I can take care of myself." Sophitia smoothed out Cassandra's hair, trying to comfort  
her sister as she always did. "I must do this. The trouble may be outside Greece, but it won't be  
long before it comes here. Please, Cassie, let me go."  
  
"This is just about your wanderer, isn't it?!"  
  
Sophitia was taken aback. It was true that part of herself imagined and hoped to see Taki again,  
but that Cassandra should perceive this was shocking. "Let that wanderer of yours go, sis!"   
Cassandra continued. "You're marrying someone here. Someone you love is right here in Athens.  
Just forget about everything outside Greece and stay here!"  
  
Cassandra really did not understand at all. "Father loves my fiancee. Not me. The one I truly love   
is not here," Sophitia said softly. "All of you, stuck here in Greece, in Athens, will never   
understand."  
  
It was Cassandra's turn to be shocked. "But....If you don't love.... then why... why are you going   
to...."  
  
"Let me go, Cassandra," Sophitia said softly, avoiding the question. This was becoming difficult, and  
she didn't have time to explain. "I must go." It felt like an eternity for Sophitia as she waited   
patiently, half wanting to just break Cassandra's grip if her sister did not comply. Hesitantly,   
Cassandra slowly let go of her hand. "I don't understand you, sis. You have everything in Greece.  
Everything. And you're willing to let go of all this for a god and for a wanderer."  
  
Cassandra brushed away tears before they could fall. "What if you return with that wanderer's child  
in your womb? What if all this is discovered? What if.... what if...." She sniffed. "Why, Sophie? Why  
must you go? Why do you want to leave?"  
  
Sophitia took one long breath. "Cassandra, there is a whole world outside Athens, outside Greece,  
even. I realized this when I went out into it. And it's not such a dangerous world, Cassandra. It  
is also a world of freedom and it is a world with wonderful people in it."  
  
She took one last look at Cassandra before she turned and left. "One of these days, Cassandra, I  
hope and pray to Hephaestus that you too will see what I have seen. Maybe then you will   
understand me and you will be able to choose."   
  
-------------------------  
  
Two magnificent horses, one a deep dark black and the other a rich brown, thundered across the  
desert. Their hooves beat on the arid ground, sending sand flying in their wake. Their riders were  
a woman on the ebony steed, a man on the auburn one.  
  
Many who had seen them both would call them cold, almost unfeeling. There was a certain   
determination in their eyes that seemed to say to hell with the world, we will achieve what we   
will and we don't care what anybody thinks.  
  
Perhaps it was because both of them looked battle-hardened, callous to the shedding of blood.  
  
The man was a mercenary, known in some parts of these sands. He was the sort to be  
anonymous,uncommunicative, fighting only for money and never for glory. The woman as well   
seemed to have known battle, although those who had seen her together with the man would   
admit that she'd probably seen worse battles by the look in her eyes.  
  
To suggest that either one of them was capable of friendship was a laughable matter to most. To  
even think that they would be capable of devotion to anything but their battles was ridiculous.  
  
Taki and Mitsurugi, whether to Japanese or to foreigners, tended to give such an impression as of  
late.  
  
Nothing, however, could be further from the truth.  
  
The demon-slaying ninja and the near-invincible swordsman were the best of friends from   
childhood. It had begun when Taki had found Mitsurugi in a pit trap she had been constructing.  
They had both been about nine or ten at the time.  
  
It was a very unusual start for a friendship, to state the obvious.   
  
"I swear, travelling by ship is much better than this," Mitsurugi said, squinting his eyes under the  
hood of his cloak to keep his vision clear in the harsh glare of the sun. "Dry, dusty as anything -  
man, I hate deserts!" As if to give emphasis to his words he spat sand that managed to gather  
at the corner of his lips. "Persistent as you may be, Taki, if you get in my way I promise you   
I'll have no choice but to battle you - again."  
  
"And if you find the sword, get possessed and turn into another 'Naito-meru', I will have no choice  
but to kill you," Taki retorted, humorous in tone but serious in intent, just as Mitsurugi was. "I   
don't believe you still don't believe me about Soul Edge. I showed you Mekki-maru, told you about  
Mekki-maru and even let you touch Mekki-maru to feel Soul Edge's dark ki!"  
  
"It could have just been Mekki-maru, Taki!" Mitsurugi argued. "You said it had dark ki as well!"  
  
Taki sighed. "Swordsmen! You never feel the subtle differences in anything, especially ki, do you?"  
  
The horses paid no attention to their two riders conversing in Japanese, thundering still through the   
desert. The animals further ignored the amused laughter of the two childhood friends. "I swear, if I   
didn't know that you were prone to knocks on the head while training as a swordsman,   
Mitsu-kun..." Taki mused.  
  
"Well, Ta-chan, until we happened to meet in Edo and battle that oni in some daimyo's castle,   
I thought you were crazy with all your demon talk."  
  
The two of them laughed heartily, having not seen each other for so long due to Taki not making  
an effort to see the samurai after one of her adopted sisters had died. Mitsurugi had been the one  
giving his all to keep up their friendship, Taki knew. When they met once more in the Ming empire  
by pure chance and he had asked how she had been, she'd decided to maybe open up a little to  
him once more.  
  
He of course was extremely happy that she did.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
The sounds of battle ahead reached both their ears. "Another caravan," she heard Mitsurugi muse.   
"That makes three since we started out from Mongolia," the samurai added. Their eyes met, and   
both of them grinned. "Do we play the heroes again, oh samurai-obssessed- over-Tanegashima?"   
Taki asked with amusement.  
  
"I'm not one to turn a blind eye, oh ninja-who-obssesses-on-demonic-blades!" the samurai laughed   
heartily. "Let's go! Kyah!" Mitsurugi replied, drawing his katana and sending his horse into a swift   
gallop towards the besieged caravan. "Hurry up, Ta-chan, 'cause I'm not leaving any bandits for  
you!"  
  
"Hey, hey! Don't you be greedy, Mitsu-kun! There's enough for both of us!" Taki laughed yet again,  
drawing the now repaired Rekki-maru from its scabbard. The jet-black horse broke into a run,  
spurred on by Taki's heels against its flanks towards the ninja's target. "No way am I letting you  
have all the fun, Mitsurugi!"  
  
------------------------------------  
  
As it turned out, the caravan had been quite prepared for fending off bandits but had not counted  
on there being so many. As such, the traders were quite thankful for the involvement of both the  
ninja and samurai in the routing of the brigands. They invited the duo to travel with them, further  
hoping to sweeten the deal with the promise of monetary gain.  
  
Taki grinned, saying in response that she would think about it.   
  
She went to Mitsurugi's side, slapping him affectionately yet roughly on his back. "So, Mitsu-kun,  
think you wanna stay with this caravan? They're offering gold to act as bodyguards fo them."  
Mitsurugi grinned in response. "Hell no! Soul Edge would be worth more than all their weight in  
gold!"  
  
"Haha, I thought as much. In any case, they say there's a lot of raids somewhere to the northwest.  
Makes you kind of wonder, doesn't it?" Taki said. "Rumors about some knight or something   
wreaking havoc there, according to these guys," she continued, gesturing towards the traders.  
  
"Well," Mitsurugi began, taking both their horses by the reins, "That's where we were headed   
anyway, right?" He grinned. "Soul Edge has got to be there. Where there's dead bodies, there's   
Soul Edge."  
  
"If that Chinese girl we had a conversation with back in Mongolia was telling the truth."  
  
"Yeah, if she was telling the truth. Damned agents of the Ming empire - they're everywhere and  
tricky as hell," Mitsurugi finished. "Maybe she was. After all, we got both her and that stick wielding  
friend of hers drunk as anything," he mused. "Heh. No one holds drink as well as you and I do, eh,  
Taki?"  
  
Taki grinned, remembering the petite sword-wielding girl and the bare-chested staff-wielding boy.  
Both youths had stumbled about the tavern then had fallen asleep after losing a drinking contest   
to herself and Mitsurugi.   
  
"We do have a bit of a naughty streak to us, don't we, Mitsu-kun?" Taki smiled.   
  
Mitsurugi grinned. "Ta-chan, you know the answer to that," he said, scratching the back of his head.  
"I'm going to get the horses some water, you goin' to be fine on your own? Hey, Ta-chan?"  
  
Taki didn't hear him, suddenly enraptured by the sight of a blonde-haired girl who was all too  
familiar. "By the kami..." Taki whispered. "She's.... Sophitia's here....." She couldn't take her  
eyes off the Greek. This was too good to be true.   
  
"Hey, Taki. Is that the one you were telling me about?" she heard Mitsurugi ask. By the kami,  
it was. She could never forget that face, not even in a good number of centuries. It was her.  
It was Sophitia. It was so unbelievable that they would even meet again. "Yes, yes it is...."  
she heard herself say. "It's... it's beyond belief... beyond all possibility, but it is..."  
  
"Well, don't just gawk, call her, Ta-chan!" Mitsurugi had a gentle smile on his face. "You've been  
wanting to see her, I know," he added.  
  
Mitsurugi's words seemed to call her to action. "Sophitia?" she yelled.  
  
The girl turned around and a smile of happiness formed on her face. "By Hephaestus! Taki, is  
that you? Is it really you?" Sophitia shouted in reply before running towards the ninja. "By the  
gods, it is really you!" Sophitia looked like she was about to cry before Taki grabbed her and  
hugged her.  
  
The scent of the young woman, the feel of her body... It was Sophitia, and Taki was now sure that  
this was no dream but was as real as the sand at her feet. "Sophitia... by the kami.... Sophitia..."  
Taki buried her face in Sophitia's neck, hugging the young Greek tightly and tenderly.  
  
"I missed you," she whispered.  
  
"I missed you as well," Sophitia said, raising her head to meet Taki's gaze with her own. "Taki...  
It really is you... I hoped.... I wished I would see you again..." She raised her lips to Taki's own,  
then paused, looking over the ninja's shoulder.  
  
Taki realized that she'd forgotten that Mitsurugi was with her. Sophitia obviously wouldn't have  
known who Mitsurugi was.   
  
Looking over to the swordsman, Taki noticed that Mitsurugi was looking at her sheepishly,   
obviously knowing that he'd somewhat spoiled the moment. "Gomen," she heard him say.   
"Ano... I'll keep an eye out for you two," he finished in Japanese, giving Taki a wink and turning   
around to watch the other people of the caravan.  
  
Looking back to Sophitia, whose eyes betrayed a degree of puzzlement, Taki said, "Don't worry  
about him. He's my best friend and he knows how it is to love someone he can't ever have,  
so he's okay with you and me."  
  
Taki paused for a moment, intuiting that Sophitia would ask just how Mitsurugi knew such things,  
then continued. "He was in love with the daughter of a noble, and she loved him as well. But he  
was just a peasant's son, and well, you can see how it goes from there."  
  
"That's so sad, Taki," Sophitia said. "Is he the same friend you told me about, the one that lost  
the love of his life to a political marriage?"  
  
"One and the same," Taki sighed. "I guess now I understand why he could be so foolish   
sometimes. Never did till I fell for you and you had to go back to Greece."   
  
Taki caressed Sophitia's face gently. "In any case, and on a slightly lighter note, what are you   
doing all the way out here? Don't tell me that you're...oh... Another mission for Hephaestus, I   
suppose?"  
  
"Soul Edge is still in the world, Taki," Sophitia replied. "There are rumors everywhere that it has   
found a new master." Taki nodded. "I thought as much. But I guess if there's one good thing about  
this whole demonic sword business, it's that I got to see you again." The ninja backed off a little  
ways from the Greek, then set about fishing out something from one of her bracers. "I wonder  
how long it's going to take us to find it again?"  
  
The Greek smiled. "So do I. But what I'm thinking is, how much time are we going to have   
together?" Sophitia said softly. "I was wondering, is it alright if I travel with you and your best  
friend? I had myself trained a little bit in secret, but I might still be a dead weight compared to  
either of you."  
  
Taki smiled, knowing that she had only one answer to the Greek's question. Ah, here it was. Taki  
pulled out a crimson ribbon tucked inside one of her bracers. That ribbon had such meaning for  
her and was one reason that she'd been able to deal with Sophitia's absence for so long.   
  
She heard the Greek gasp and knew that Sophitia saw the ribbon and remembered what it meant  
as well. "By Hephaestus, I can't believe you've kept that all this time!" Sophitia said, reaching for  
it and fingering it gently. Taki smiled. "You remember, I notice," the ninja replied, taking and   
tucking it back into its respective armband. "I could never let go of what you gave to me, you   
know."  
  
Sophitia looked her in the eye with every bit of tenderness. "How could I forget?"  
  
The Greek embraced the ninja warmly. Taki returned the hug, turning her head slightly  
to the side in order to sniff at Sophitia's neck. The Greek breathed gently against her own, happy  
and content to be in Taki's arms yet again. The ninja closed her eyes, savoring the moment,   
knowing that after they had found Soul Edge, it would probably be an eternity before she ever held  
the one she loved again.  
  
Sophitia turned her head and Taki lifted her own to look into Sophitia's azure eyes. "Come with me  
and Mitsurugi. I've waited too long just to let you go with the caravan and leave," Taki whispered,  
a loving look in her eyes. "I don't know how much time I've got with you this time around, but I  
am going to love every moment of it."  
  
"So will I, Taki," Sophitia answered with every ounce of sincerity in her eyes, words and kiss.  
  
"So will I."  
  
*************  
THE END  
*************  
  
jin long's end notes  
  
.....I just had to stick Mitsurugi in here! Yes, I think he and Taki would  
be good friends, even if the music that plays when they're fighting isn't  
like the regular 'fighting friends' music.  
  
Hiya! I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I did writing it.  
It's not quite a happy ending, but then again, it could still be. Ah, well,  
the trouble with working within canon I suppose.  
  
well, that's it for this story. I don't know if I'm going to be writing anything   
like this again, since I'm going to be quite busy for a while. Also, until  
Soul Calibur 2 has been around for a while and information on its  
storyline abounds, I don't think I'll be writing anything serious. I don't like  
writing about something I barely know anything about, even if it's just  
fanfiction.  
  
Okay, I lied a bit. I have been writing a sequel to this, heheheh... Don't know   
when I'm going to put it up, but it will be.  
  
much thanks to all of you who reviewed and read,  
  
jin long 


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